ShrubsDiscover the right shrubs for your garden.
Estrellita Little Star ® bouvardia hybrid . exposure by : Proven Winners
A popular plus to bouquets and floral organization , the vibrant bloom ofBouvardiadeserve a space in the garden not only for use as a cut flower but also to draw a steady parade of pollinator .
Also know as firecracker bush or hummingbird bloom , this compact bush is covered by bright ruby - orange blooms from natural spring through spill . Hummingbirds are attracted to the trumpet - shaped flowers , and bees and butterflies recover the scented varieties resistless .
Native to Mexico and the American Southwest , cracker bush thrives in warm mood and is tough enough to handle heat , humidness , and drought without missing a meter . In northern regions , you’re able to growBouvardiaas a showy summer annual in garden beds and container or even indoors as a houseplant .
On this Thomas Nelson Page : Basics|Planting|Care|Varieties|Frequently Asked question
BASICS
Botanical name:
Bouvardiaspp . and crossbreed
Common names:
Firecracker bush , hummingbird flower , trompetilla , clavillo , trumpet blossom
Plant type:
Deciduous or evergreen shrub
Zones:
Typically 8 - 11 , with some fearless to zone 7
Native area:
Central America and Mexico , with the speciesB. ternifoliagrowing hazardous throughout part of Texas , New Mexico , and Arizona
Exposure:
Full Sunday to part shade
Growth habit:
vertical and shrub - like
Height/spread:
2 to 4 foot tall and 2 to 3 substructure wide
Bloom time:
Midspring until the first hard Robert Frost
Foliage:
Linear to oval - shaped dark dark-green leaf are arranged in whorls along woody stems . Foliage will remain evergreen in Robert Frost - free areas .
Flowers:
Clusters of foresightful , tubular flowers with burn up petals most normally bloom in shades of red and orange , although you may also find pinkish , jaundiced , and white variety . Some type exhibit multiple color variations within the same bloom Hz . Some varieties are scented , but not all .
Special attributes:
Landscape uses:
Container gardens , mass plantings , curve flower gardens , shrub borders , pollinator gardens
PLANTING BOUVARDIA
When to plant:
In spring , after the threat of frost has passed , or in early downfall in frost - free climates .
Where to plant:
Although plants can abide partial shade , a location with full Sunday ( at least 6 60 minutes day by day ) will control the good efflorescence . In areas with hot summers , like the cryptic South , plants will benefit from filtered shade in the afternoon .
How to plant:
Dig a trap about twice as wide but no deeper than the works ’s root ball . commingle any amendments , as needed , into the land and grade the plant in the hole so the pennant is level with the soil surface . Backfill with the excavate soil , tamping it down mildly . Water soundly , then check the soil level and add more soil if necessary .
Soil:
Average , well - debilitate soil having an acidic pH. Plants grow poorly in too blind drunk , alkaline soils . larn how to test and correct the pH of your soil .
Spacing:
2 to 3 feet apart , depending on width at maturity
Growing in containers:
you’re able to also grow firecracker bush in containers on patios and balconies . Choose a can at least 3 congius in size and fill with a high - quality potting mixture . Make trusted the pot has holes for equal drainage to preclude the soil from begin quaggy . Get moretips for growing plant in containers .
BOUVARDIA CARE
Watering:
Water works , as needed , to provide 1 to 2 inch of water weekly . Container - get plants will need more frequent watering and should be given a soakage when the top inch of soil sense teetotal to the touch . Once established , Bouvardiacan tolerate period of drought but will perform intimately when irrigate regularly .
Amendments and fertilizer:
Fertilize plants in early spring with a deadening - release fertilizer formulated for blossom Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree and shrubs , following the instructions on the label for the commend charge per unit of app . If you have clay land , mix in some organic subject to improve aeration , promote drainage , and boost soil fecundity . Avoid inordinate fertilization , which can make plants leggy and have taller halt to flop over .
Pruning and deadheading:
Regular pruning is seldom necessary , since industrial plant will maintain their rude wont without much shaping . However , if you want to make plants more compact and shaggy , you’re able to lop them back by about one - third in spring , cutting back to a set of leaves . If you are produce firecracker bush as a perennial , you’re able to also rationalize plants back during their dormancy period in late autumn or early wintertime before new increment reemerges in outflow .
Although deadheading is n’t necessary for re - bloom of youth , you could take away the spent flowers , if desired , to keep plant life look keen and tidy .
Propagation:
From root word cuttings or softwood cuttings taken in natural spring .
Pests and diseases:
Few serious pests or disease bother Bouvardia , but be on the observatory forwhitefliesandmealybugs .
BOUVARDIA VARIETIES
Photo by : Proven Winners
Estrellita Little Star ® —Buy now from Proven WinnersBouvardiahyrbrid
Zones:8 - 10
Height and spread:18 to 24 column inch tall and panoptic
bunch of star - shaped bloom in center - pour down refinement of orangish , red , and spicy pinkish bloom of youth continually from saltation through fall without the demand for deadheading . Blooming off of Modern growing , plant can be trimmed as need for shaping .
picture by : Ramona Georgescu / Shutterstock
Scented BouvardiaBouvardia longiflora
Zones:9 - 11
Height and spread:2 to 3 feet tall and wide
Prized for its intensely fragrant , pure white flowers , which are a pop improver to hymeneals bouquets . Because the radical and branches tend to be brickly , this plant life grows best in a sheltered localization or indoors as an everblooming houseplant .
Photo by : Tony Baggett / Shuttertstock
Scarlet BouvardiaBouvardia ternifolia
Zones:8 - 11
Height and spread:2 to 4 foot tall and 2 to 3 feet wide of the mark
This Southwest native is top out with clump of brilliant ruby cherry flowers that will attract hummingbirds from miles around . Will persist evergreen in warm frost - loose locations and is deciduous in colder climates .
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
IsBouvardiaan annual or perennial?
Firecracker bush is a perennial shrub in warmer climate , but will not survive temperatures below 10 to 15 degree F.
How do I growBouvardiaindoors?
Sometimes sold as a houseplant , Bouvardiais easy to grow indoors . But , to ensure anthesis , you must rank it in a smear where it will get plenty of light , such as a south - facing window or under grow lights . Keep at a room temperature above 60 degrees F and water deeply when the dirt is ironical to the mite , allowing excess water to run out of the bottom of the flock to prevent root rot .
Is firecracker bush the same as firecracker plant?
There are a few plant life that share the common name of firecracker works or firecracker bush . Two of the most common areCupheaandRusselia equisetiformis . Cupheais a tender perennial with bloom of youth very like in coming into court to those ofBouvardia , but much smaller . Russelia equisetiformis , hardy in Zones 9 - 11 , has cascading rush - corresponding stems and clusters of scarlet tubular peak . Both thrive in summer sun and heat , and when grown as annuals , will bloom from spring until the first hoarfrost .
IsBouvardiaa long-lasting cut flower?
As a deletion flower , the blooms of hummingbird prime can last up to two week in a vase . For the prospicient vase life , select halt with flowers that have just begun to open and remove all foliage that will sit down below water stratum .
What does the firecracker bush flower symbolize?
Bouvardiais associated with exuberance , passion , and a piquancy for life and is often included as a slice efflorescence in bouquets observe special occasions .
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