Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Broadleaf Evergreen, Vines
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
India, Indonesia, Southeast Asia, Southern Asia
Types
Crossandra, Firecracker Plant
Red pepper, Orange pepper
Number of Varieties
507
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Homesteads, Urban areas
Moist Soils, orchards, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-9
12 - 1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
H1, H2, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
40.60 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Orange, Light Yellow, Peach, Orange Red
Lemon yellow
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Red, Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Circular cordate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Average
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
-
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting, Vegetative Reproduction
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, Sprinkle water over foliage, Water every two or three days during warmer months
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
A hard prune may be necessary if the plant becomes woody, Remove dead branches, Trim each shoot back to the first set of leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
10-10-10 diluted liquid fertilizer, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Do not let fertilizers touch the leaves
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Aphids, Beetles, Root rot, Rust, Scab
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction
Flowers
Showy
-
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
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
Aphids, Leafminer, Snails, Squirrels
Allergy
-
Oral Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Decorating walls
Beauty Benefits
-
Acne, Blackheads
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Fixes Nitrogen, Insect Repellent
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cold, Cough, Wounds
Acid Reflux, Dysentry, Healthy teeth, Inflammation, Oral health
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Dried seeds
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Used in herbal medicines
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
CROSSANDRA infundibuliformis
Piper nigrum
Common Name
Firecracker Flower
Peppercorn, Piper, Black pepper
In Hindi
आबोली
काली मिर्च
In German
Kracher-Blume
Pfeffer
In French
Firecracker fleur
Piper nigrum
In Spanish
flor petardo
Poivrier noir
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα λουλούδι
μαύρο πιπέρι
In Portuguese
flor foguete
Pimenta-preta
In Polish
petarda kwiat
Pieprz czarny
In Latin
flos Firecracker
nigrum piperis
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Piperales
Family
Acanthaceae
Piperaceae
Genus
Crossandra
Piper
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Brodiaeoideae
-
Number of Species
51100
1
27800
👆🏻