A lush shrub with clusters of tubular orange-red flowers that bloom through the warm months and draw hummingbirds and butterflies. It thrives in Phoenix heat but freezes back in winter, regrowing each spring.
Living with it in the Phoenix Valley
Watering
Follow the shrub schedule in our Landscape Care guide. Despite its heat tolerance, this is not a desert plant, and it needs consistent water through summer to stay full and in bloom.
Pruning
Leave frost-damaged growth in place through winter, then cut back to live wood once new growth appears in spring. During the season, light heading back keeps it full without losing its natural shape.
Cold
Expect the top to freeze back in a typical winter, especially in colder parts of the Valley. It usually returns from the base as the weather warms.
Heat and sun
It loves heat, but leaves can scorch on hot western exposures. Morning sun with some afternoon relief works best.
How our designers use it
Hummingbird color
Its long run of orange-red flowers makes it a go-to for hummingbird and butterfly gardens.
Lush, tropical plantings
It pairs well with palms, bougainvillea and other warm-color plants around patios and courtyards.
Summer color where winter looks matter less
Because it freezes back, our designers place it where a few bare winter weeks will not be the focal point.
Good to know
Around the pool
No thorns. Spent flowers and berries drop in season and the berries can attract birds, so keep it back from the water and light-colored paving.
