Firecracker Plant – Russelia equisetiformis (Coral Fountain, Scarlet Hummingbird Flowers, Live Starter Plant)

The Firecracker Plant (Russelia equisetiformis) is also called Coral Fountain. It is a showstopping tropical that lives up to its name. Slender, bright green, rush-like stems arch and cascade into a graceful fountain shape, covered from spring through fall in clusters of scarlet, tubular flowers that look just like tiny firecrackers. Hummingbirds and butterflies cannot resist them. As a result, the Firecracker Plant is a must-have for tropical, pollinator, and coastal gardens, and a spectacular spiller for hanging baskets and walls.

Why Grow a Firecracker Plant?

• Hummingbird & butterfly magnet – the scarlet tubular blooms are a top nectar source for hummingbirds and butterflies.
• Long bloom season – reliable coral-red color from spring through fall, and nearly year-round in frost-free climates.
• Beautiful cascading form – arching, rush-like stems spill gracefully over walls, baskets, and containers like a living fountain.
• Tough & coastal-friendly – also notably salt-tolerant, heat-tolerant, and drought-tolerant once established.
• Versatile – use it as a tall border, trained to a trellis, spilling over raised beds, or overwintered indoors as a houseplant.

Looking for more flowering color and texture? Browse our Flowering Plants and Groundcovers & Border Plants collections.

Plant Specifications at a Glance

• Botanical name: Russelia equisetiformis (firecracker plant, coral fountain, coral plant, fountainbush)
• Plant type: Tender, semi-evergreen, weeping tropical subshrub (perennial in warm zones)
• Plant family: Plantaginaceae (the plantain family)
• Mature size: about 2–4 feet tall and 3–5 feet wide, in a cascading, fountain-like mound
• Flowers: Clusters of scarlet, tubular, firecracker-like blooms about 1 inch long, spring through fall
• Wildlife: A favorite of hummingbirds and butterflies
• Notable traits: Salt-tolerant, heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant once established
• Cold Hardiness Zones: 9–11 (not frost-hardy; can be overwintered indoors)

Firecracker Plant Care & Growing Guide

This easy tropical rewards a sunny spot with months of color. Follow these guidelines:

• Sunlight: Full sun to partial shade. In hot inland areas, a little afternoon shade is appreciated, while full sun gives the heaviest bloom.
• Water: Water regularly when the top 3 inches of soil are dry, especially while it establishes. Once mature, it is drought-tolerant. However, avoid both soggy soil and prolonged bone-dry spells.
• Soil: Rich, well-drained soil. In addition, it adapts to most soil types as long as drainage is good.
• Feeding: Fertilize regularly through the growing season for the best growth and bloom.
• Cold Hardiness Zone: 9–11. Because it will not survive hard frost, grow it in a container in colder areas and bring it indoors to a warm, sunny spot for winter.
• Pruning: Prune in late winter or early spring to refresh the plant and keep its cascading form tidy.

Good to know: in frost-free regions, the firecracker plant can spread and naturalize, so give it room or grow it in containers if you would like to keep it contained.

Ways to Use Firecracker Plant in the Landscape

This cascading tropical shines wherever its stems can spill. Popular uses for the Firecracker Plant include:

• Hanging baskets, window boxes, and containers where the stems can cascade
• Also spilling over walls, raised beds, and slopes
• Tall borders or trained to a trellis
• Similarly, hummingbird, butterfly, tropical, and coastal gardens
• Poolside and patio accents, or overwintered indoors as a flowering houseplant

It pairs beautifully with other nectar-rich, sun-loving plants. For example, gardeners often combine it with the bird-friendly Red Cluster Bottlebrush, the orange Bulbine Hallmark Orange, or the purple-flowered Dwarf Tibouchina.

What You’ll Receive

These are live Firecracker Plant starter plants, grown and shipped by Carlo’s Plant Farm. Each plant is less than 12 inches tall when we ship it. The listing photos show mature plants of the same species. That way, you can see how yours will look as they grow and bloom. Finally, choose your preferred bundle size using the options above.

Also, due to different state laws, we reserve the right to charge extra fees where necessary to comply.

Ordering, Shipping & Returns

Every order ships free and is insured against loss or damage in transit. For full details on how we pack and send your plants, processing and delivery times, and what to do in the rare case of a problem, please review our Shipping Policy and Terms & Conditions before purchasing. By placing an order, you agree to those terms.

Firecracker Plant FAQ

Growing & Care Questions

Hardiness, Buying & Shipping Questions