Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Annual
Type
Shrub
Flowering Plants
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
China
Types
Crossandra, Firecracker Plant
Ribbon series, Milady aster
Number of Varieties
5035
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Homesteads, Urban areas
Cold Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-9
9 - 1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
40.60 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Orange, Light Yellow, Peach, Orange Red
White, Yellow, Purple, Pink, Rose, Crimson, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Form a Soil ring to water efficiently, Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water more in summer
Do Not over Water, Keep ground moist, Never Over-water, Requires a lot of watering, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Alternate Days
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Loam
Loamy, Well drained
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Loamy, Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, Well-rotted manure
Pests and Diseases
Insects
fungus
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single, Double, Semi-Double
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Bouquets, Hanging Basket, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cold, Cough, Wounds
Rheumatism
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Flowers
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Decoration Purposes, Employed in herbal medicine, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Bedding Plant, Container, Cottage garden, Rock Garden, Showy Tree
Botanical Name
CROSSANDRA infundibuliformis
CALLISTEPHUS chinensis
Common Name
Firecracker Flower
China Aster
In Hindi
आबोली
चीन एस्टर
In German
Kracher-Blume
China Aster
In French
Firecracker fleur
Chine Aster
In Spanish
flor petardo
aster de China
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα λουλούδι
Κίνα Aster
In Portuguese
flor foguete
China Aster
In Polish
petarda kwiat
Chiny Aster
In Latin
flos Firecracker
Sinis Aster
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Asterales
Family
Acanthaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Crossandra
Callistephus
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Astereae
Subfamily
Brodiaeoideae
Asteroideae
Number of Species
515
1
27800
👆🏻