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Firebush’s red-orange tubular flowers with a monarch butterfly feeding

Plant profile

Firebush

Hamelia patens

Florida’s own pollinator powerhouse.

Full sunPart sun
Native near you?

Highlights

Native to Florida, firebush blooms for months, attracting both birds and butterflies. Its bright red and orange tubular flowers can bloom year-round in warm climates and are a magnet for hummingbirds and butterflies. Firebushes like sun to part sun, have evergreen leaves, and can grow up to 15 feet tall and wide. Plant one (or a few!) and watch the pollinators have a party. Scroll on for planting tips.

The bright red and orange flowers are also beloved by hummingbirds (notice how the flower shape is basically a perfect hummingbird cup?)

Firebush grown as a long, dense green hedge dotted with red flowers
Firebush: a buffet of butterfly + hummingbird food

Firebush (Hamelia patens) is famous for its bright clusters of tubular, red, or orange flowers that hang from glossy evergreen leaves. Its bright flowers are beloved by hummingbirds and butterflies.

Here are a few reasons to plant firebush:

Firebush, glossy green leaves around a cluster of red tubular flowers

Evergreen leaves look great year-round

The glossy green leaves of a Firebush are evergreen. They can reach up to 15 feet tall and wide at their happiest.

Firebush’s red-orange tubular flowers with a monarch butterfly feeding

Butterflies love them

The bright red and orange flowers of a Firebush are magnets for butterflies looking for nectar, including monarchs.

Ruby-throated hummingbird drinking from firebush’s red-orange tubular flowers

Hummingbirds love them

The bright red and orange flowers are also beloved by hummingbirds (notice how the flower shape is basically a perfect hummingbird cup?)

Where firebush shines in your yard

Firebush is an extremely easy plant to grow, as it tolerates a range of sun and soil conditions. Firebush thrives in full sun to partial shade and well-drained soil.

Firebushes are perfect for edges or hedges. Some inspiration for placement includes:

Where is firebush native?

Native to 1 US state

Native range
Not native

Sources: NatureServe, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (World Checklist of Vascular Plants) and the USDA PLANTS Database, compiled by The Plant Native. How we map native ranges

How to plant firebush

You can find firebush plants in many different ways.

  1. Choose a location that receives full sun to partial shade and has well-draining soil.
  2. Dig a hole that is twice as wide as the root ball and just deep enough to accommodate the root ball at soil level.
  3. Remove the firebush from its container and gently loosen any tangled roots.
  4. Place the Firebush in the hole, ensuring that the top of the root ball is level with the surrounding soil.
  5. Fill the hole with soil, gently tamping it down as you go to remove any air pockets.
  6. Water the firebush thoroughly to settle the soil and hydrate the roots.

Propagate firebush from cuttings

Firebush can be propagated from stem cuttings taken from adult plants. To propagate from cuttings:

  1. Cut 4-6 inch stem sections from the tips of the plant, making sure each cutting has several leaves and a stem that is at least ¼ inch in diameter.
  2. Dip the cut end of the stem into rooting hormone powder.
  3. Fill a container with a well-draining potting mix and insert the cuttings about 2 inches deep.
  4. Keep the cuttings moist and in bright, indirect light until roots have formed and new growth appears, which usually takes 4-8 weeks.

Planting card

Firebush

Hamelia patens

Hummingbird fave

What to plant with firebush

Firebush look great alongside other native plants that also love the heat and weather of the south. Some favorites pairings include Azalea, Carolina jessamine, American beautyberry, and passionflower vine.

See all 207 profiles →

Where can I buy firebush?

Finding specific native plants can sometimes be challenging. Sadly, most conventional nurseries stock non-native plants.

To make finding firebush easy, we’re put together four sourcing ideas to help:

Firebush is a fantastic native shrub to grow in warmer climates of the south such as Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana. They love the heat of the south and can tolerate drought after being established. Plant a few today and watch your yard become a butterfly and hummingbird sanctuary.

Want more southern garden inspiration? Here you go!

Best native plants for the South
Emily Lessard standing among white coneflowers in a garden

Written by

Emily Lessard

Founder & Editor, The Plant Native

Emily Lessard is the founder and editor of The Plant Native, the site that helps homeowners across North America get started with native plants. She holds a Sustainable Landscapes certificate through the Pennsylvania Landscape & Nursery Association, is finishing a Native Perennial Garden Design Certificate at Temple University, and is the author of Plant Native: A Practical Guide to Over 100 Native Plants of North America (Quarto, March 2027). She gardens outside Philadelphia in the 8.3 Southeastern Plains ecoregion.

Meet Emily

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Garden notes

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