Firespike

Firespike

These shrubs can grow anywhere from four feet to eight feet and beyond. They make a wonderful addition to cutting and butterfly gardens. Because of their size, they also make great backdrops to smaller plants.

Does Firespike attract butterflies?

Plant Description: Firespike is an herbaceous perennial with large showy spikes of bright red tubular flowers. These flowers attract many species of butterflies as well as hummingbirds.

Is Firespike a perennial?

Known botanically as Odontonema cuspidatum, firespike grows 4 to 6 feet tall and produces clusters of 3-inch-long, tubular red flowers. It is a small shrub in South Florida and a clumping, herbaceous perennial in North and Central Florida.

Do hummingbirds like Firespike?

Firespike is sure to attract hummingbirds and larger butterflies. It also makes an easy indoor plant where its flowers can be enjoyed through much of winter. If well-established Firespike is generally considered hardy well into zone 8B.

Does Fireweed need full sun?

– Fireweed may be grown in well-drained, moist soil but they establish best with the addition of fertilizer. They grow best in full sun, but will tolerate some shade.

How do you take care of a Firespike bush?

These plants love rich soil with lots of compost but are tolerant of pH levels on either side of neutral. The most important detail is the sun; firespikes love to live in the full sun. The plants will grow in partial sun or partial shade, but you'll get fewer flowers and they won't be as vibrant.

Is purple Firespike native to Florida?

Firespike in the Butterfly Garden. ​​Common Name: Firespike (Lavender) (Other common names: Purple firespike and purple flame). Origin: South America (but has naturalized to Florida).

Is firebush plant native to Florida?

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.

What is the best plant to attract monarch butterflies?

While nectar plants are important, milkweed is an essential component of the monarch's spring resources. The relationship between the monarch butterfly and its host plant, native milkweed, is well known. Adult monarchs sip nectar from milkweed, and lay their eggs among its leaves.

Can Thanksgiving cactus bloom twice a year?

The Christmas Cactus that you see here and in the video is actually a Thanksgiving (or Crab) Cactus. It was labeled as a CC when I bought it and that's how it's commonly sold in the trade. Nowadays you may see them labeled as Holiday Cactus. Regardless of which one you have, they can re-bloom more than once a year.

How big does a Mexican firebush get?

In zones 9 and south it grows as a perennial, but mostly it is grown as a tropical annual, like lantana. When grown as a perennial in warmer parts of the country, firebush grows 5 feet tall and wide, but in most situations, where it is grown as an annual bedding plant, it attains a height and spread of about 30 inches.

What time of year does fireweed bloom?

Fireweed blooms from June to September, and the typically magenta flowers (2 to 4 cm wide with 4 petals) grow in clusters at the apex of the stems. In late summer, fireweed seeds disperse on the wind thanks to the fluffy tuft of white hairs at their tip.

What is a hummingbird's favorite flower?

Brightly-colored flowers that are tubular tend to produce the most nectar, and are particularly attractive to hummingbirds. These include perennials such as bee balms, columbines, daylilies, and lupines; biennials such as foxgloves and hollyhocks; and many annuals, including cleomes, impatiens, and petunias.

What should you not give hummingbirds?

Never use honey, corn syrup or raw, unprocessed sugars. Powdered sugar (also called confectioners' sugar) often contains additional ingredients, such as cornstarch. Therefore, it is not recommended for use in creating hummingbird food.

What's a hummingbird's favorite tree?

The Mimosa Tree | The hummingbird's favorite tree – and it could be yours too! Commonly planted near back patios because they attract hummingbirds like no other tree we've ever seen. Great where you need a small to medium sized ornamental.

Why is fireweed a problem?

Fireweed is an introduced weed that competes strongly with pasture species and is toxic to livestock. Fireweed is responsible for illness, slow growth and poor conditioning of cattle, and can result in death.

What happens if you touch fireweed?

The reason this sting is so painful is that it has stinging hairs that are easily embedded in the skin when pulling it barehanded. By doing this, you encourage venomous hairs to become embedded in the skin thus increasing the agony that is pending and it is a pain that will last for hours.

Is fireweed toxic to touch?

The fire weed in-flower is the most toxic. When ingested it can be toxic to the liver and neurological system eventually leading to death. People should also be aware that fireweed is also toxic to humans if ingested and be sure to wear gloves when removing this plant.

Should I remove fireweed?

Once the hot, dry summer hits, Fireweed will cease to be an issue. In the meantime, a selective herbicide application is effective against plants that have already germinated, though it won't keep more plants from germinating. The best course of action is to mow.

Are Spike plants full sun?

Spike needs well drained soil. It does best in full sun but will tolerate partial shade. When Spike is small, it can be used as a thriller. As it grows, it will outshine smaller plants and needs to be moved to the landscape or a larger container.

14 Firespike Images