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Firecracker Flower (Crossandra infundibuliformis) exuding sunshine and warmth!
Firecracker Flower (Crossandra infundibuliformis) –
It is such an interesting and fascinating shrub, that blooms almost unceasingly throughtout the year.
This lovely cultivar, Crossandra infundibuliformis ‘Lutea’ or Yellow Crossandra with deep rich yellow flowers, glowing above its lustrous deep green foliage is simply stunning to say the least.
They exude such warmth and sunshine all year round in our tropical garden with their burst of bright and brilliant colors.
We’re thrilled that it can tolerate full sun. That at least gave us some leeway to plant this lovely bush in our outer garden plot which is blasted by the afternoon sun. Not many plants can survive in that blinding heat, there were many casualties!
Plant Profile, Culture and Propagation :
- Botanical Name: Crossandra infundibuliformis (synonym: Crossandra undulifolia)
- Common Name: Firecracker Flower, Firecracker Plant, Kanakambaram (in tamil), Crossandra (with name of flower color as prefix, such as Yellow, Red, Salmon or Orange)
- Family name: Acanthaceae
- Plant type: A tropical flowering perennial shrub, native to Southern India, Sri Lanka and Tropical Africa.
- Light: Full sun to semi-shade.
- Moisture: Regular watering moderately. Do not let soil dry out between waterings and maintain relatively high humidity. One way is to let your potted plant sit atop small stones laid on a tray of water. Or regular misting of their foliage is encouraged, never on their delicate blooms though.
- Soil: Well-drained fairly fertile soil. Preferably equal parts of loam and peat moss, plus sand for good drainage.
- Propagation: Propagation by tip or stem cuttings, taken when pruning plant in Spring or germination of seeds. It self-sows readily too.
Features: Crossandra infundibuliformis is a small evergreen ornamental shrub that is relatively low. It grows to a height of 1-3 feet, depending on the cultivar and spread as wide.
Firecracker Flower as commonly named, grows vigorously in the Tropics where there is abundant rain, sun and humidity.
Foliage is dark green and glossy, with oval (some have ruffled) leaves, about 2-5 inches long. The flowers are unusually shaped with asymmetrical petals spreading to form a 3-5 lobed disk, arising from slender 0.75-1 inch long corolla tubes that sprout from 4-6 inch long four-sided spikes.
Flower colors range from the common orange to salmon-orange or apricot, coral to red, yellow and even turquoise. Their fragile flowers are easily damaged by rain, otherwise can be quite long-lasting.
These low ornamental shrubs are generous bloomers all year round, often beginning to bloom when only a few inches tall.- Usage: Crossandra infundibuliformis will make excellent container or tub plants for patios and decks. Popularly grown indoors as a flowering houseplant, especially the dwarf cultivar that grows not taller than 1.5 feet. Being compact and small, it would be ideal outdoors in landscape gardening or borders with a mixed crowd of annuals or perennials. Great shrub for hedges and fencing too.
In India, the orange flowers of Kanakambaram or Firecraker Plant are favorites with the ladies, to adorn their hair or tied with jasmine flowers and offered in temples.
It is most attractive to insect pollinators such as the butterflies and dragonflies. Sharing here an image of the fabulous Crimson Dropwing dragonfly and another of the Clouded Skipper, Lerema accius that visited our Firecracker Plants. :)
- Care: Firecracker Flower is quite an easy plant to maintain. Provide sufficient water, bright light and high humidity, as well as feed fortnightly with a balanced fertilizer, half the recommended strength, and it will be a happy bloomer throughout the year. It is sturdy and a survivor, so do trim often to keep it tidy, bushy and compact. It is least bothered by pests and diseases, though do check their leaves for spider mites and white flies occasionally to prevent infestation.
- For temperate zones: Hardiness – USDA Zone 10a, 10b and 11. Locate in high light, preferably south window in winter and bright indirect light the rest of the year for best flowering. Summer outdoors in partial shade or full sun. Minimum winter temperature 55 degrees F and avoid drafts. More information at Dave’s Garden and here
These are some of the Crossandra infundibuliformis cultivars :
- ‘Lutea’ (Yellow Crossandra) – bright deep rich yellow flowers.
- ‘Tropic Flame’ (Orange Crossandra) – bright orange-salmon flowers.
- ‘Nile Queen’ (Red Crossandra) – bright red flowers.
- ‘Shamrock’ (Green Ice Crossandra, Turquoise Crossandra) – turquoise flowers.
There is another plant Dichelostemma ida-maia, bearing the same common name (Firecracker Flower) as Crossandra infundibuliformis. Without doubt, the former with its stunning cluster of deep crimson tubular flowers and cuffed apple green, resembles the firecrackers perfectly, hence the common name. Just be sure, you’re buying your correct plant! :D
More Firecracker Flower (Crossandra) pictures grown in our garden and elsewhere:
 Crossandra ‘Lutea’ - with bright deep rich yellow flowers |
 Crossandra ‘Lutea’ - with bright deep rich yellow flowers |
 Crossandra (cultivar unknown?) - with 2-toned yellow flowers |
 Crossandra (cultivar unknown?) - with 2-tone yellow flowers |
 Crossandra ‘Tropic Flame’ - with vibrant orange-salmon flowers |
 Crossandra ‘Tropic Flame’ - with vibrant orange-salmon flowers |
Last edited: April 30 2009
Tags: flowering plants, indoor plants, orange, outdoor plants, perennials, red, shrubs, yellow
April 28th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Where can I find seeds for purchase on the Crossandra. I’ve looked but cannot find.
Your garden is beautiful!!
April 29th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Hi Bret,
Thanks for the compliment. I am sorry though that I’m unable to answer your enquiry about the seeds.
April 30th, 2009 at 3:52 am
Where can i purchase some crossandra plants
May 17th, 2009 at 8:05 pm
I just purchased 2 beautiful plants yesterday at Home Depot (Jacksonville, FL). Mine are the “Orange Marmalade” crossandra.
June 25th, 2009 at 11:03 am
where can i buy yellow crossandra palnt
August 4th, 2009 at 3:44 am
Hi!,
Nice pictures. I have a small plant about 3 in. how long will it take to grow big and flower?
Thank You
sri
August 4th, 2009 at 11:47 am
Thanks for the compliment, Sri.
From our experience, this plant starts to flower even as a very young plant, less than 10″ tall and is a vigorous grower in good growing conditions.
September 5th, 2009 at 10:40 pm
I have a large bed of crossandras that are seemingly unhappy. We have had abundant rain showers, I have fertilized with liquid MIracle Grow and with time released fertilizer and the plants are not blooming. The bloom shoots appear, but die before they flower. No apparent insects …. I’m baffled. Any ideas?? I live in Central Florida. Thanks.
January 1st, 2010 at 2:05 am
For those folks having difficulty finding this plant, I purchased mine at Trader Joe’s Market in San Jose, California. It has been blooming non-stop since I bought it in Oct. ’09. We live in zone 9 so I’m reluctant to transplant it outdoors, as our nights get down to well below 55ยบ. It is thriving near a south-east facing window. In spring I’ll try some rooted cuttings outdoors as an experiment. Good luck and Happy New Year 2010!
Ceci Cox
May 5th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
Hi Ceci,
I also live in San Jose and am wondering whether you would be kind enough to share crossandra seeds (if you have any) or at least rooted cutting?
thanks
Padma
August 4th, 2010 at 4:31 am
I would like if you can share crossandra seeds or cuttings with me.
August 5th, 2010 at 12:47 am
Sorry, Lakshmi! We don’t do this!
August 27th, 2010 at 3:20 am
I bought 10 plants in Home depot last week. They are very pretty
August 29th, 2010 at 12:52 pm
All the best and happy gardening, Crossandra fan!
October 6th, 2010 at 2:47 am
I have bought some Crossandra Plants, the Tropical Flame Some from A garden center, and some from our local market.
The ones from the garden center are doing fine but the ones from the local market are not so good,I have lost one and another one seems to be going the same way ie : The leaves are drooping and starting to curl up Could you tell me what could be wrong with these. Many Thanks Sheila
October 10th, 2010 at 1:42 am
Beautiful plant–can’t talk now I have to run to the nursery to get it. :)
December 30th, 2010 at 3:22 pm
flower photo is beutifull send me
September 3rd, 2011 at 6:52 am
I am wondering whether or not I should cut off the stock that the flowers bloomed along as nothing is coming from them anymore. There is another bloom on the plant which came out on a single stem – not like the previous blooms which bloomed all around a stock. Am wondering what to do with those stocks when they stop blooming. Mine is a houseplant – I live in Canada so would never put it out as it wouldn’t survive the winters.
November 17th, 2011 at 7:57 am
I have the same question as Dianne .
I have lots of plants and hundreds of suckers from seeds but not much blooms on th e old plants.Also some of the leaves have gone pale green. Wonder if it is a disease? I live in the Caribbean.
December 15th, 2011 at 9:02 pm
I have the same question as Maggie & Dianne. Do I cut off the stock after the flowers have bloomed? Do they sap energy from the rest of the plant once that stem has finished its blooming?
April 4th, 2012 at 7:44 pm
[...] Firecracker Flower (Crossandra infundibuliformis) exuding sunshine …Apr 4, 2008 … Firecracker Flower (Crossandra infundibuliformis) – It is such an interesting and fascinating shrub, that blooms almost unceasingly throughtout … [...]
April 7th, 2012 at 3:55 am
How do I acquire the seeds from the buds once the flower dies?
April 18th, 2012 at 10:35 am
Hi Virginia! Just allow the spent flower heads to remain on the plant until they turn into brown seed pods that contain the seeds.
July 10th, 2012 at 4:43 am
I planted my new plants a month ago. All flowers are spent and seed have started. how do I get the plant to bloom again? Should I prune the spend flower heads or leeave on the plant for them?
July 10th, 2012 at 7:36 pm
Kati… if you don’t intend to harvest the seeds, you can prune the spent flower heads to encourage new branches which will result in more blooms.
October 26th, 2012 at 2:08 pm
I have found a new pest (in this area seen for the first time) feeding on the flower buds of Crossandra in Mandya district of Karnataka, INDIA. It appears to be a orange colored maggot belonging to Diptera. The incidence is almost 100% in all flowers. The symptom includes shrivelling and unfurling of flowers coupled with rotting at the base of the flower. Is there any one working on this pest for future management.