Firecracker Plant, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Firecracker plant is an arching, fountain-shaped shrub with slender green stems and tubular red flowers that bloom most of the year and draw hummingbirds. It does well in Southwest Florida in full sun to part shade and handles dry spells once rooted. It is best spilling over a wall, filling a slope or anchoring a sunny bed, and a hard frost can burn it back.
- Light:
- Full sun to part shade; best flowering in full sun
- Water:
- Low to moderate; drought tolerant once established
- Salt:
- Moderate to good
Firecracker Plant 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 |
|---|---|
| Firecracker Plant | 3 Gallon |
Firecracker Plant in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 3 to 5 ft tall and 4 to 6 ft wide, spreading wider over time
- Light
- Full sun to part shade; best flowering in full sun
- Water
- Low to moderate; drought tolerant once established
- Salt tolerance
- Moderate to good
- Cold tolerance
- Frost burns the stems and a hard freeze can cut it to the ground; it usually resprouts from the base in spring
- Growth rate
- Moderate to fast
- Spacing
- 3 to 4 ft on center for a mass planting
- Florida native
- No, native to Mexico
- Botanical name
- Russelia equisetiformis
Where Firecracker Plant works in a SW Florida yard
Plant firecracker where its arching stems can spill: along the top of a retaining wall, down a slope or at the corner of a sunny bed. It adds a fine, grassy texture against broad-leaved plants.
Blue daze, society garlic and bulbine handle the same sun and dry soil. Give it room to arch out 4 to 6 ft, and keep it back from walkways it will lean over.
- Spilling over walls
- Sunny slopes and banks
- Hummingbird gardens
- Large containers
How our crew plants it
Drainage comes first: plant in well-drained soil with the root ball level with the ground, in a hole twice as wide as the 3 gallon pot, and space plants 3 to 4 ft apart for a mass planting.
The crew sets them, waters them in and cleans up. After the extra watering Lee and Collier allow for new plantings, drop back to your two days.
Care after planting
- Cut it back by a third to a half in late winter, after frost danger passes, to remove burned stems and keep it full.
- Feed lightly in spring and early fall, outside the June 1 to September 30 ban, because extra nitrogen means more stems and fewer flowers.
- Water young plants regularly, then let them settle into your two assigned days, since established plants take dry spells well.
- Cover young plants with frost cloth on nights forecast near freezing.
What to watch for
- Frost burns the stems, and a hard freeze can cut it to the ground, though it usually comes back from the base in spring.
- It sprawls if left unpruned, and the long stems can flop over walkways.
- Soggy soil causes root rot, so skip low spots and heavy irrigation.
Firecracker Plant questions we hear
Is firecracker plant good for hummingbirds?+
Yes. The tubular red flowers are a hummingbird favorite, and butterflies visit too. It blooms most of the year when it is warm, with the best show in full sun. Plant it where you can watch from a patio, and skip insecticide sprays on it.
Is firecracker plant cold hardy in Southwest Florida?+
It is tender at the top and tough at the root. Frost burns the stems and a hard freeze can kill it to the ground, but it usually resprouts from the base in spring. Coastal Lee and Collier rarely see damaging cold, while inland spots like Lehigh Acres can. Wait until spring to cut back burned stems.
How big does firecracker plant get?+
Plan on 3 to 5 ft tall and 4 to 6 ft wide, spreading wider over time. The stems arch and weep, so it looks softer than the size suggests. Cutting it back by a third to a half each late winter keeps it tidy and flowering.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Firecracker Plant
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.