Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 2902066

Firebush

Hamelia patens

Also known as Hummingbird Bush, Scarlet Bush, Redhead, Ix Canaan

Bright tubular flowers in shades of fiery orange and scarlet bloom continuously throughout warm months, providing an essential nectar supply for hummingbirds and butterflies. As the blossoms fade, clusters of small berries mature from green to red and dark purple, feeding a wide variety of songbirds. This sprawling evergreen shrub thrives in sunny thickets, forest edges, and tropical gardens from Florida all the way south to Argentina.

EvergreenFloweringAttracts Pollinators
Firebush reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Francisco Farriols Sarabia, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Francisco Farriols Sarabia · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Sunlight
  • Water
  • Soil nutrients
Predators
  • Caterpillars
  • Spider mites
  • Aphids
ThreatsHabitat loss, severe frost, competition from invasive non-native plants
HabitatsSubtropical forests, thickets, coastal hammocks, garden borders
Life span15–30 years
Classification
  1. OrderGentianales
  2. FamilyRubiaceae
  3. GenusHamelia
  4. SpeciesHamelia patens
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Wild berries have toxic look-alikes; never eat based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Planting: Position in full sun to partial shade for the most abundant blooms.
  • Observation: Sit quietly nearby during early morning hours to watch visiting hummingbirds.
  • Pruning: Cut back lightly in early spring to encourage bushy growth and continuous flowering.
Related species
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