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For the Love Of Nature, Art and Bad Humor
A Comic Gallery of Creative Expression in the Pursuit of Knowledge
Firebush
Hamelia patens (Scarlet Bush, Hummingbird Bush or Redhead)
Hamelia- After French botanist Henri Louis Duhamel du Monceau (1700–1782)
Patens- Latin for spreading or open
Firebush lives up to its name.
This plant is smokin' hot. Gorgeous.
One of the prettiest native plants Florida has to offer -
and one of the toughest. It tolerates heat, wind, drought, salt, and pretty much any soil: wet, dry, acidic, alkaline, or whatever's happening in your neighbor's yard.
Native from Florida south to Argentina, it's a hardy evergreen perennial with no serious pest or disease problems, and blooms spring through fall -
year-round in warmer climates.
People aren't the only admirers of this statement bush. Butterflies and hummingbirds love it too. Clusters of bright, tubular orange-red flowers attract pollinators from all over, serving as both a nectar source and a host for larvae.
The berries are gorgeous too - ripening from green to yellow to dark red to plump black, and enjoyed by birds
and mammals alike. A single bush can have flowers
and berries ripening at the same time in various stages, offering a little something for everyone.
They're edible for humans too, though reportedly not
great-tasting. They're related to coffee, and in Mexico the acidic berries are used to make a fermented drink.
​
The Mayan name for firebush is Ix Canaan -
'Guardian of the Forest.' Indigenous peoples historically used extracts from the leaves, flowers, and stems to treat
rashes, fungus, sores, insect stings, menstrual cramps, headaches, rheumatism, fever, and dysentery.
Modern research has confirmed anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.
Fun fact: firebush grows continuously,
so its wood has no growth rings.
One more reason to love firebush: the birds it attracts
also snack on small insects nearby, helping keep mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas down in your yard.
Now that's hot.
These low-maintenance, redheaded beauties attract great wildlife, eat pests, and might even help your rash.
Cheers to the fiery firebush!
P.S. If you're buying firebush in Florida, look for dark reddish-orange flowers, not the lighter yellowish-orange ones (often marketed as dwarf or African).
Those aren't native.
References:
https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/ornamentals/firebush.html
https://www.fnps.org/plant/hamelia-patens
https://www.floridastateparks.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/Firebush%20Critter%20Sheet.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamelia_patens
Special thanks to Jay Exum, Ph.D. Wildlife Ecology for his expert fact checking!
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