Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants, Herbs
Shrub
Origin
-
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
-
Crossandra, Firecracker Plant
Habitat
moist forests, Mountains
gardens, Homesteads, Urban areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-9
10-15
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
H1, H2, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Flower Color
Purple, Pink, Lavender
Orange, Light Yellow, Peach, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Green, Dark Green
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Summer
Indeterminate
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
Form a Soil ring to water efficiently, Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season, Water more in summer
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
cut main trunk every 5 years, Prune after flowering, Prune central stem, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
No pruning needed in the early stages, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 5-10-5 amounts, Compost
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Red blotch, Trunk Rot
Insects
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Foliage Texture
Medium
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Attracts
Butterflies, Leaf Hoppers
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
Itchiness, Sore Throat
-
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes, Removes pimples
-
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, soil stabilisation
Air purification
Medicinal Uses
Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity, Tonic
Cold, Cough, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves
Flowers
Other Uses
Added to salads, Can be boiled and seasoned, pickled, Culinary use
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
No
Yes
Used As Outdoor Plant
Yes
Yes
Garden Design
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
Averrhoa bilimbi
CROSSANDRA infundibuliformis
Common Name
Bilimbi, Mimbro
Firecracker Flower
In German
bilimbi
Kracher-Blume
In French
bilimbi
Firecracker fleur
In Spanish
bilimbi
flor petardo
In Greek
bilimbi
πυροτέχνημα λουλούδι
In Portuguese
bilimbi
flor foguete
In Polish
bilimbi
petarda kwiat
In Latin
Rondo Beardtongue
flos Firecracker
Order
Oxalidales
Lamiales
Family
Oxalidaceae
Acanthaceae
Genus
Averrhoa
Crossandra
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Subfamily
-
Brodiaeoideae
Importance of Bilimbi and Firecracker Flower
Want to have the most appropriate plant for your garden? You might want to know the importance of Bilimbi and Firecracker Flower. Basically, these two plants vary in many aspects. Compare Bilimbi and Firecracker Flower as they differ in many characteristics such as their life, care, benefits, facts, etc. Every gardener must at least have the slightest clue about the plants he wants to plant in his garden. Compare their benefits, which differ in many ways like facts and uses. The medicinal use of Bilimbi is Cough, Haemorrhages, Laxative, Obesity and Tonic whereas of Firecracker Flower is Cold, Cough and Wounds. Bilimbi has beauty benefits as follows: Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes and Removes pimples while Firecracker Flower has beauty benefits as follows: Anti-ageing, Good Cleanser, Remove blemishes and Removes pimples.
Compare Facts of Bilimbi vs Firecracker Flower
How to choose the best garden plant for your garden depending upon its facts? Here garden plant comparison will help you to solve this query. Compare the facts of Bilimbi vs Firecracker Flower and know which one to choose. As garden plants have benefits and other uses, allergy is also a major drawback of plants for some people. Allergic reactions of Bilimbi are Itchiness and Sore Throat whereas of Firecracker Flower have respectively. Having a fruit bearing plant in your garden can be a plus point of your garden. Bilimbi has no showy fruits and Firecracker Flower has no showy fruits. Also Bilimbi is not flowering and Firecracker Flower is not flowering . You can compare Bilimbi and Firecracker Flower facts and facts of other plants too.