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Botanical name: Hamelia patens ‘Compacta’
A beautiful Florida native shrub, producing a dense mound of medium green leaves; orange-red and yellow tubular flowers all summer into fall that are loved by hummingbirds; evergreen and much larger growing in frost free climates without pruning.
Other names: Scarlet Bush, Firecracker Bush, Hummingbird Bush
| Hardiness zone | 8a |
|---|---|
| Flower color | orange |
| Foliage type | evergreen |
| Plant form | round |
| Mature height | 3 feet |
| Spread | 3 feet |
| Light requirements | full sun to partial shade |
| Moisture requirements | average to moist |
| Plant origin | North American native |
Dwarf Hamelia features showy cymes of orange tubular flowers with yellow overtones at the ends of the branches from mid spring to mid fall, which emerge from distinctive red flower buds. It has attractive green foliage. The glossy pointy leaves are highly ornamental and remain green throughout the winter. The fruit is not ornamentally significant. The dark red stems can be quite attractive.
Dwarf Hamelia is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.
This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best cleaned up in early spring before it resumes active growth for the season. It is a good choice for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.
Dwarf Hamelia is recommended for the following landscape applications;
Accent, Mass Planting, General Garden Use, Container Planting
Dwarf Hamelia will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It has a low canopy. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 15 years.
This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH and is able to handle environmental salt. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species.
Dwarf Hamelia makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.
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