Hamelia patens
Firebush
Overview
Hamelia patens is an evergreen shrub in the coffee family, reaching 6-12 feet (1.8-3.7 m) tall and 5-8 feet (1.5-2.4 m) wide in frost-free climates, where it grows year-round; in cooler zones it dies back in winter and returns as a smaller plant. The whorled leaves are 2-6 inches (5-15 cm) long, often flushed red on the stems and veins, and turn deeper red in sun and cool weather. Clusters of slender tubular flowers about 0.75 inch (20 mm) long are orange-red and open continuously through the warm season. The flowers are followed by small juicy berries that ripen from green through yellow and red to black. The shrub grows in hammocks, thickets, and clearings from Florida through tropical America, tolerating heat, humidity, and brief drought. It is damaged or killed to the ground by frost, which limits its year-round range to zones 9-11. A commonly sold relative, the African Hamelia patens var. glabra, has glossier leaves and a more compact habit. The long flowering season draws hummingbirds and butterflies.
Native Range
Native to subtropical and tropical America, from central and southern Florida through Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. It grows in hammocks, woodland edges, thickets, and disturbed clearings.Suggested Uses
Grown as a flowering hedge, screen, or specimen in warm-climate and butterfly gardens, and as a container plant moved indoors in cold regions. The tubular flowers draw hummingbirds and butterflies, and the berries feed birds.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height6' - 12'
Width/Spread5' - 8'
Reaches mature size in approximately 3 years
Bloom Information
Orange-red tubular flowers open continuously from spring through fall in warm climates, and nearly year-round in frost-free areas. The flowers are grouped in branched terminal clusters. Berries ripen through the same period, passing from green to black.
Detailed Descriptions
Foliage Description
greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grows in full sun to part shade in moist, well-drained soil and tolerates heat, humidity, and short dry spells once established. Flowering and red leaf color develop most strongly in full sun. In zones 9 and colder the top growth is killed by frost but the roots usually resprout in spring. It needs little fertilizer and few pest controls in suitable climates. A hard cutback in late winter keeps the plant dense and removes frost-damaged stems. It grows quickly and can be kept as a clipped hedge or left to form a loose, arching shrub.Pruning
A hard cutback in late winter or early spring removes frost-killed or leggy stems and maintains a dense form, as the shrub regrows quickly from old wood. Light tip pruning through the season shapes it as a hedge.Pruning Schedule
early spring
Container Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 5 gallons