Hardiness zones:
Sunset 12-24
USDA 9-11
Landscape Use: Accent shrub, informal hedge, foundation plantings, large scale ground cover, great for oasis design themes.
Form & Character: Evergreen herbaceous shrub, rounded, bright and cheerful in flower, sometimes open and sparse if under watered or leggy if overwatered.
Growth Habit: Slow to establish, moderate to 3' to 5' with equal to greater spread.
Foliage/texture: Opposite, light green scabrous ovate leaves to 2" long, veins prnounced, stems pubescent; medium texture.
Flowers & fruits: Orange tubular flowers in terminal clusters; fruit inconspicuous.
Seasonal color: Flowers sporadically during warm season.
Temperature: Heat loving, tolerant to 26oF
Light: Full sun to partial shade, no full shade.
Soil: Firecracker plant does not tolerate caliche soil and is highly salt sensitive. Soil must be well drained.
Watering: Will tolerate some drought, but looks substantially better with regular ample water....overwatering inhibits flowering.
Pruning: Easily manipulated, best to lightly head back during late winter.
Propagation: Easy by vegetative stem cuttings.
Disease and pests: White flies, root rot, ....and more white flies.
Additional comments: Hummingbirds frequent firecracker plant intensely when in flower. Firecracker plant is a an oasis or mesic shrub substitute for chuparosa (J. californica) when hummingbirds are wanted in the landscape. In Phoenix, fertilize once a year in the late winter with a complete fertilizer plus micronutrients to the improve the overall appearance of this plant.
