Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States
Types
Crossandra, Firecracker Plant
Nyssa sylvatica
Number of Varieties
505
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Homesteads, Urban areas
Lowland, Sandy areas, Wet Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-9
9-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Upright/Erect
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
40.60 cm1,828.80 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm762.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Orange, Light Yellow, Peach, Orange Red
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Dark Blue, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Crimson, Dark Red, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Oblovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic
Soil Drainage
Average
Poorly Drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Wet Site, Drought, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
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
Average Water Needs, Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic
Soil Type
Loam
Clay, Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Poorly Drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Prune in early spring, Prune in late winter, Prune when plant is dormant, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize in early spring
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Birds
Allergy
-
Mild Allergen, Pollen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Used in parkland, Water gardening
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Nesting sites for birds, Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife, Wildlife, Windbreak
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cold, Cough, Wounds
Emetic, Opthalmic, Vermifuge
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Fruits, Seeds
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Food for insects, Used as a dye, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Botanical Name
CROSSANDRA infundibuliformis
NYSSA sylvatica
Common Name
Firecracker Flower
Black Tupelo, Blackgum, Sour Gum
In Hindi
आबोली
Black Tupelo Tree
In German
Kracher-Blume
Schwarz Tupelo Baum
In French
Firecracker fleur
Noir Arbre Tupelo
In Spanish
flor petardo
Árbol negro Tupelo
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα λουλούδι
Μαύρη Tupelo Δέντρο
In Portuguese
flor foguete
Árvore Tupelo Preto
In Polish
petarda kwiat
Czarny Tupelo Drzewo
In Latin
flos Firecracker
Niger Tupelo ligno
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Cornales
Family
Acanthaceae
Nyssaceae
Genus
Crossandra
Nyssa
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
Bombini
Subfamily
Brodiaeoideae
Nyssoideae
Number of Species
545
1
27800
👆🏻