Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Perennial
Origin
Southeastern Asia, India
Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas, Canada, Mexico
Types
Crossandra, Firecracker Plant
Ratibida columnifera
Number of Varieties
5025
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Homesteads, Urban areas
Dry areas, Prairies, Rocky areas, rocky outcrops
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-153-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-9
10-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 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 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Orange, Light Yellow, Peach, Orange Red
Yellow, Purple, Burgundy, Light Green, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Subulate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
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
Average Water Needs, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
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, Pinch Tips, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply N-P-K
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Pests and diseases free, Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun
Flowers
Showy
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Rhinitis
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Borders
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cold, Cough, Wounds
Analgesic
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Flowers
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Can be made into a herbal tea, Used in making tea
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Hedges, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Wildflower
Botanical Name
CROSSANDRA infundibuliformis
RATIBIDA columnifera
Common Name
Firecracker Flower
Mexican Hat
In Hindi
आबोली
Mexican Hat
In German
Kracher-Blume
Mexican Hat
In French
Firecracker fleur
Mexican Hat
In Spanish
flor petardo
mexican Hat
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα λουλούδι
Mexican Hat
In Portuguese
flor foguete
Mexican Hat
In Polish
petarda kwiat
Mexican Hat
In Latin
flos Firecracker
Mexicanus Hat
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Tracheophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Asterales
Family
Acanthaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Crossandra
Ratibida
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
Brodiaeoideae
-
Number of Species
514
1
27800
👆🏻