They can survive a light bout of frost but will die above ground if exposed to heavy frost. The Firespike is a lover of heat and hot temperatures.

Your Firespike prefers humidity that is moderate to high. You can mulch around the base of your plant to aid the soil in moisture retention. If you forget, and the plant droops a bit, just water it and it will revive. If you are cultivating this shrub in a more arid climate, plan on watering daily. The Firespike plant loves to drink, so generous consistent watering is necessary. Plan on giving your plant 75% or above sunlight. When cultivated in the shade, there will be fewer blossoms. They will, however, adapt to partial shade and bloom even when in a shaded spot, but the sun is best. It can be planted successfully in heavy clay soils and wetter environmental conditions.Īs tropical plants, they love the sun and will do well when grown in bright light. When planting makes sure your Firespike has lots of room, so plant them two to three feet apart. While not particular about soil pH, your plant will be happier in soil that is neutral to slightly acidic. For best results, choose a soil mix that is compost-based as it will provide more nutrition. If given a choice, the Firespike will opt for rich, fertile, well-draining soil. The Firespike can be grown in a container and will act as a blooming houseplant during the winter. They are adaptable to some degree growing well in both fertile soil and a sandy mix. Native to Mexico and Central America, they are tropical in nature, loving both generous sunlight and water. They are relatively easy to care for if you can reproduce their preferred growing environment. These plants depend on specific environmental conditions to thrive. Both the purple and red flowering varieties require the same plant care. The Red Firespike is more commonly available in garden centers and nurseries and is thought to be a bit hardier than the purple blossom variety. It is an evergreen perennial shrub in locations without frost and a die-back perennial in cooler locations. Known as the Odontonema Callystachyum, this is a Firespike plant that produces tubular purple flowers. If you live in a warm climate, the Firespike may just bloom year-round for you. Summer will grace your garden with stunning blooms and may continue to winter if frost doesn’t kill them. To cultivate in your outdoor garden, they need to be planted when spring arrives. Flowers are truly unique in shape, usually red on a purplish stem. The shrub itself can grow from four to eight feet and perhaps a bit more, but the general size for a mature Firespike plant is two to five feet in both height and width. Leaves are glossy deep dark green and are able to grow to eight inches in length. This perennial shrub can also be cultivated as a houseplant. The Firespike belongs to the Acanthaceae family. Imagine the delight your garden will offer.īotanically named Odontonema strictum, it is commonly called the Firespike, Scarlet Flame, or Cardinal Guard. Not only is this plant eye-catching but it’s a magnet for butterflies and hummingbirds. Once roots begin to form, pot up the plants in a container.If you want a large beauty for your garden, consider the stunning Firespike plant. Cuttings propagated in water require little time before roots begin to form. Cuttings can be planted in a container with moist soil, or they can be placed in a vase of clean water. Make a cut below the leaf line of the plant, making sure to include several nodes of the plant’s stem. While completely removing the top portion of the parent plant may sound alarming, growth should resume quite quickly from growth nodes after cutting. The first option is to take top cuttings, which result from the removal of the top of the plant. Since both methods of growing new dracaena plants will take root quickly, the method of dracaena plant propagation chosen is simply the preference of the grower. There are two ways by which one may take cuttings of dracaena – from the top and through stem cuttings. Not only is the process easy, but it is much more efficient and cost effective than purchasing new plants. By taking cuttings, or other small pieces of the parent plant, growers are able to root and grow an exact clone of the parent plant. Luckily, many plants can be propagated another way. In some cases, plants grown from seed will not be the same as the parent plant. While starting new dracaena plants from seed is a possibility, many years are often required to establish seedlings. Plant propagation is the process by which gardeners are able to create new plants.

Red spike plant as a houseplant