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Odontonema strictum |
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| | Second-year plant in July, having returned from the base following winter freeze |
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| | Small plant, just purchased |
| Common name |
firespike |
| Family |
acanthaceae |
| Life cycle |
shrub (Z9-11)   |
| Flowers |
red (late summer-winter) |
| Size |
to 6' |
| Light |
sun-part shade |
| Cultural notes |
ordinary garden soil, not too dry |
Shrub with stiff upright branches and shiny elongated leaves to six inches long, arranged oppositely. Spikes of tubular pink-red flowers start appearing in late summer or early fall (early to mid-October in our Houston-area garden). Tends to act as a dieback shrub in areas with winter freezes, resprouting from its roots in spring. Will bloom even if given quite a bit of shade, and does better with at least some shade in hot climates. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Native to Central America.
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| | Killed back by a series of overnight light freezes in December |
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| | Returning from its base in mid-March, after a winter with some moderate freezes (by Houston standards) |
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In our garden, this plant grows in the following areas: left fence border, rock garden zone, right-fence nursery area About my plant portraits
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