dwarf mexican firebush

Dwarf Mexican Fire Bush, Hamelia, Firebush

Grows To: 3-4'H x 3-4'W as a dieback perennial, 6-10'H x 6-10'W as a tropical shrub.
USDA Cold Hardiness Zones: 8B,9,10,11. ...
Outdoor Light: Full sun, Mostly sunny, Part shade, Part sun.
Indoor Light: Direct sunlight is preferred when overwintering indoors.
pH Range: Acidic, Mildly Acidic, Neutral, Mildly Alkaline, Alkaline.

How big does a dwarf firebush get?

While these shrubs are called dwarf, they can reach 15 feet in height, so be careful where you plant them unless you find pruning is an enjoyable activity. I am finding the Dwarf Firebush can easily grow three feet a year once established and is a favorite of butterflies and hummingbirds.

How big does firebush get?

Firebush (Hamelia patens) is a perennial. A semi-woody shrub, native to South Florida that can grow to about 5-10 ft. tall in height.

Does firebush need full sun?

Firebush can be planted in late spring or summer in USDA zones 8-11. It will grow and flower best if planted in full sun, but it can also be planted in partial shade. Firebush is also moderately tolerant of salt spray, which can be helpful for gardeners in coastal areas.

How fast does firebush grow?

How tall does Firebush Grow? The warmer the climate, the larger firebush will grow, reaching anywhere from 6 to 12 feet tall and 5 to 8 feet wide. This fast-grower can average around 4 feet of new growth yearly.

Is firebush poisonous to dogs?

What is Burning Bush Poisoning? These plants bloom from early May through late June, although the entire plant is poisonous to dogs, including the bark of the bush or tree. ... Your dog can become violently ill from eating any part of the burning bush (Euonymus atropurpurea) due to alkaloids and cardiac glycosides.

Is firebush invasive?

Question: Hamelia patens (Firebush) is listed as an invasive plant at Invasive.Org, the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health, which partners with the US Forest Service, Univ of GA and others. LBJ website has listed it as Native.

Do hummingbirds like firebush?

If you want to attract hummers by the droves, this easy-growing plant will do the trick. If you want to attract hummers by the droves, this easy-growing plant will do the trick. Firebush makes a great, fast-flowering annual shrub for borders or containers in the Middle and Upper South. ...

Is firebush a perennial?

Although a woody perennial in its native habitat, firebush is best utilized as an annual (mature height: 18–30 inches) from central Texas northward.

How much sun does a firebush need?

Though firebush can tolerate partial shade, it prefers the warmth of full sunlight, at least six or eight hours a day. It's believed that the more sunlight the plant gets, the more plentiful its blooms will be.

What does firebush look like?

Native to Florida, firebush is a tropical landscape shrub that shows off tube-shaped yellow-and-orange flowers. In areas that don't see frost, this flowering shrub blooms all year long; in the North, where it's often grown as an annual or as a container-garden plant, firebush blooms without stop until frost.

Is firebush an evergreen?

This tropical evergreen shrub is a versatile plant that can adapt to a variety of gardens.

How do you take care of a firebush?

To grow firebush in your garden, plant it in late spring or early summer. Make sure the soil drains well, because this plant will not tolerate soggy roots. Water your Hamelia regularly until it has become established. Prune it as needed to keep it to a reasonable size but avoid over-pruning.

Can you eat firebush berries?

Firebush (Hamelia patens var.

Its berries are plentiful and are eaten by a variety of birds and small mammals. They are also edible to humans, although the taste is not particularly desirable. Firebush produces clusters of bright orange to red thinly tubular flowers.

Why does a burning bush not turn red?

So why won't burning bush turn red? The most likely culprit is the plant's location. Is it planted in full sun, partial sun or shade? Although the plant can thrive in any of these exposures, it requires a full six hours of direct sun for the foliage to turn red.

Can you prune firebush?

The best time for firebush pruning is late winter to early spring. ... You can prune the plant in summer with no ill effects but many of the blooms will be lost and fruit will be prevented from forming. Firebush is a semi-woody perennial and will require nice sharp tools to help prevent injury to the plant.

Is dwarf firebush native to Florida?

The firebush (Hamelia patens), native to much of Tropical America including South Florida, is an 8-to-15-foot-tall evergreen shrub or small tree. ... That's because the smaller, so-called dwarf plant is, at present, considered by botanists to be a naturally occurring variety (Hamelia patens var.

What does a dwarf burning bush look like?

The Dwarf Burning Bush is one of the most beautiful of all shrubs, becomes a different color with each season. Thick, green foliage in summer with orange-red berries. In the fall its color is brilliant coppery-crimson tinged rose. An unusual corky bark adds to the winter appearance of this marvelous shrub.

Is burning bush fast growing?

Do they grow quickly? Burning bush shrubs grow at a slow-moderate pace of 1-2 feet per year until they reach maturity.

Does firebush attract bees?

The flowers of the Firebush plant vary in length, and attract a wide variety of pollinators including hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. The flowers give way to small, dark red fruits which turn black as they mature. Tanagers and other birds feed on the juicy fruits.

Why can't you buy a burning bush?

One of the most strikingly-colorful plants during autumn in this region's gardens is burning bush (Euonymus alatus). Unfortunately, burning bush (including its cultivars) is now classified as an invasive species, and anyone wanting to buy a plant will be frustrated.

Why do my bushes sound like Rice Krispies?

Boxwood leafminer larvae voraciously feed as they mature in spring, leaving a fragile, translucent “window" of leaf tissue on the lower leaf surface. As they pupate, they work their way through this thin leaf tissue to facilitate the emergence of adults—which is the cause of the crackling sound.