firecracker bush
Bouvardia ternifolia
USDA zones7 to 10
SunHandles full sun to partial shade
WaterNeeds dry soil
Size2 to 4 feet tall2 to 3 feet wide
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn
- Bloom color
- Red
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Firecracker bush (Bouvardia ternifolia) is a shrub for borders, containers, and xeriscape gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 7, or down to 0°F (-18°C). This plant likes full sun to part shade and dry, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. Its red, bugle-shaped flowers grow in clusters at the ends of erect branches and attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Snip old blooms to keep the plant neat and dense.
Pairs well with Elfin mother of thyme, Shenandoah switchgrass, and Millenium ornamental onion.
Native range
AZ, NM, and TX.