Firebush, Delivered and Planted in Cape Coral and SW Florida
Firebush is a Florida native shrub with red-orange tubular flowers that bloom most of the year, and it does very well in Southwest Florida. Hummingbirds and butterflies visit it all season. It grows fast in full sun, handles heat and dry spells once rooted in, and makes an easy informal hedge or a colorful shrub for the back of a bed. Frost cuts it back, but it regrows from the base.
- Light:
- Full sun for the best bloom; part shade works with fewer flowers
- Water:
- Low to moderate; drought tolerant once established, with an occasional deep soak in the dry season
- Salt:
- Moderate; fine in coastal breezes, not for the water's edge
Firebush sizes we deliver and plant
Every size below is planted by our crew, set at the right depth and watered in. Send the size and how many, and we text back a planted price, usually within the hour during the day.
| Plant | Sizes |
|---|---|
| Firebush | 3 Gallon, 7 Gallon |
Firebush in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 5 to 8 ft tall and 4 to 6 ft wide; taller in frost-free yards
- Light
- Full sun for the best bloom; part shade works with fewer flowers
- Water
- Low to moderate; drought tolerant once established, with an occasional deep soak in the dry season
- Salt tolerance
- Moderate; fine in coastal breezes, not for the water's edge
- Cold tolerance
- Frost burns the leaves near 32°F and a hard freeze can kill the top growth, but it regrows from the base in spring
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Spacing
- 4 to 5 ft on center for a hedge or mass
- Florida native
- Yes, native to central and south Florida
- Botanical name
- Hamelia patens
Where Firebush works in a SW Florida yard
Firebush works as a loose flowering hedge, a corner shrub, or a backdrop behind lower plants in a pollinator or native bed. Give it full sun and room: it grows 5 to 8 ft tall with an open, arching shape, so keep it a few feet off walks.
Space plants 4 to 5 ft apart for a hedge. Coontie, blue porterweed and Simpson stopper make good partners, and the whole planting stays easy on irrigation once rooted.
- Hummingbird and butterfly gardens
- Informal flowering hedge
- Native plant beds
- Back-of-bed color
How our crew plants it
Dig a hole twice the width of the pot and set the root ball so its top sits level with or just above the soil. Backfill with native soil and mulch 2 to 3 inches deep without piling it against the stems. Space hedge plants 4 to 5 ft apart. Water in well and keep it moist daily for the first week or two.
After that, taper to your assigned days, using the extra watering Lee and Collier allow on new plantings while it roots in. We set it at the right depth, water it in, and clean up.
Care after planting
- Prune in late winter or spring to shape it and clear frost damage, then tip-prune lightly through the summer to keep it full.
- After a freeze, wait for new growth in spring before cutting back brown stems, because the lower wood often stays alive.
- Go easy on fertilizer, since extra nitrogen pushes leaves over flowers, and remember Lee County, Naples and Marco Island ban nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer from June 1 to September 30.
- Inland, cover young plants on frost nights; on the coast they rarely need it.
What to watch for
- Frost browns the leaves and a hard freeze can kill it to the ground, so inland yards in Lehigh Acres and North Fort Myers may see dieback some winters.
- In shade it turns leggy and sparse with few flowers, so give it real sun.
Firebush questions we hear
Does firebush die back in winter in Florida?+
Only when it freezes. Leaves brown near 32°F and a hard freeze can kill the top growth, but plants usually resprout from the base in spring. Coastal Lee and Collier rarely see damage, while inland spots like Lehigh Acres and North Fort Myers can get a light frost some winters. Wait until spring growth appears before pruning.
How big does firebush get?+
Expect 5 to 8 ft tall and 4 to 6 ft wide, and more in a frost-free yard. It grows fast in full sun and gets leggy in shade. Prune lightly in late winter or spring and tip-prune in summer to hold the size you want.
Does firebush attract hummingbirds and butterflies?+
Yes. The red-orange tubular flowers draw hummingbirds and many butterflies, and the berries that follow turn from red to black and feed birds. It blooms through most of the year, with the heaviest flowering in warm weather. Plant it in full sun where you can watch it from a window or patio.
Is firebush native to Florida?+
Yes. Firebush is a Florida native found in central and south Florida coastal hammocks, and it is the only Hamelia that grows wild in the state. That makes it a natural fit for native and pollinator plantings, and it needs little fertilizer once established.
How far apart should I plant firebush for a hedge?+
Plant firebush 4 to 5 ft apart, center to center, for a flowering hedge, and keep it 3 ft or more from walls and walkways. Seven-gallon plants can go closer to 4 ft for a quicker fill. In full sun a row usually knits together within a season or two.
How much does it cost to have firebush planted?+
Price depends on size, form and how many, so we text you a planted price. Firebush comes in three-gallon and seven-gallon sizes. We usually reply within the hour during the day, and half down holds the plants and a delivery day.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Firebush
Tell us what and how many. Quinten prices it from the nursery's live list and texts you back, usually within the hour during the day.
Only need the plant delivered, no planting? It is on our nursery's list at Palm & Plant Co.
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We deliver and plant across Cape Coral, Fort Myers, Naples, Estero, Bonita Springs and about an hour around.