Firecracker Plant turns heads with its showy, 1-inch-long red flowers on arching stems throughout all warmer months of the year. Hummingbirds and butterflies cannot resist it. Also known as Coral Fountain, its fine-textured, nearly leafless stems appear to flow like a fountain carrying flowers from a central point to the tips of its weeping branches. This long-lived, dramatic plant has excellent heat and sun tolerance, as well as moderate drought-resistance once well-established. Dead-heading spent flower stems helps with continuous blooming. Although they thrive in full sun, they do best with morning sun and afternoon shade in the hottest months, and prefer protection from drying winds. A fast-growing, easy-care shrub, Firecracker Plant has only one drawback: it can freeze in our Zone 8b Cold Hardiness Zone if not protected during hard frosts. Place this frost-sensitive plant in warm, sheltered areas, or containers that can be moved. Looks great spilling from containers, window boxes, raised beds, over walls, on a trellis, or as an informal groundcover.
