Purple Firespike, Delivered and Planted in SW Florida
Purple firespike is one of the few flowering shrubs that does well in shade in Southwest Florida, sending up purple spikes that hummingbirds and butterflies visit from late summer through winter. It likes part shade and moist, well-drained soil, and it fills in fast as a flowering hedge or mass. Frost burns it back, but it usually regrows from the base in spring.
- Light:
- Part shade to shade; morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal
- Water:
- Moderate; keep the soil evenly moist
- Salt:
- Low to moderate; keep out of direct spray
Purple Firespike 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 |
|---|---|
| Purple Firespike | 3 Gallon |
Purple Firespike in SW Florida, at a glance
- Mature size here
- 4 to 8 ft tall and 3 to 5 ft wide
- Light
- Part shade to shade; morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal
- Water
- Moderate; keep the soil evenly moist
- Salt tolerance
- Low to moderate; keep out of direct spray
- Cold tolerance
- Frost burns the leaves and can kill 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 flowering hedge
- Florida native
- No, native to Mexico and Central America
- Botanical name
- Odontonema callistachyum
Where Purple Firespike works in a SW Florida yard
Use purple firespike where you want flowers in the shade: under oaks, along the north side of a house or at the back of a shady bed. The upright spikes bloom from late summer into winter.
Set plants 3 to 4 ft apart for a loose flowering hedge, and pair them with shrimp plant, wild coffee or cast iron plant. Deep shade means fewer flowers, so give it some morning sun.
- Shady flowering hedge
- Hummingbird and butterfly gardens
- Winter bloom under trees
- Backdrop for shade beds
How our crew plants it
Look for rich, moist, well-drained soil with morning sun and afternoon shade. Set the root ball level in a hole twice as wide as the 3 gallon pot and mulch 2 to 3 inches deep.
The crew sets them, waters them in and cleans up. Keep them evenly moist while roots establish, using the extra watering Lee and Collier allow for new plantings.
Care after planting
- Cut it back by about half in spring after frost danger passes to remove cold damage and keep the shrub full.
- Water evenly, because the leaves wilt quickly when the bed dries out.
- Use a slow-release fertilizer in spring and early fall, and hold off from June 1 to September 30 when the county ban applies.
- Mulch 2 to 3 inches deep to hold moisture, and cover young plants on frost nights.
What to watch for
- A hard freeze kills the tops, so expect to cut it back in spring.
- In deep shade it flowers poorly and gets leggy, while hot afternoon sun can scorch the leaves.
Purple Firespike questions we hear
When does purple firespike bloom in Florida?+
It blooms mainly from late summer through winter, with the peak in the cooler months, when hummingbirds and butterflies have fewer flowers to choose from. Flowering is best with some sun, steady moisture and a spring cutback. Expect fewer blooms in deep shade.
Does purple firespike grow in shade?+
Yes, it is one of the few flowering shrubs that performs in part shade, and it also tolerates some sun with enough water. Morning sun with afternoon shade is the best combination. In deep shade it gets leggy and flowers less.
How big does purple firespike get?+
Expect 4 to 8 ft tall and 3 to 5 ft wide in a few seasons. Cutting it back by half in spring keeps it denser and shorter. As a hedge, space plants 3 to 4 ft apart and give them room to fill out.
Updated October 2026
Get a planted price on Purple Firespike
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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