Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Flowering Plants
Shrub
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
Brazil
Types
-
Abutilon Hybridum
Abutilon Megapotamicum
Abutilon Palmeri
Number of Varieties
40200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
Grassland, Rocky areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-98-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
10-1
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm90.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Crimson
Yellow, Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Gray Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Heart-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Grafting, Seedlings, Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
Form a Soil ring to water efficiently, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Use Mulches to help prevent water loss during hot and windy weather, Water Deeply
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Prune in spring, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Drought
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
Asthma
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Diarrhea, Lung Problems
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Showy Purposes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Bedding Plant, Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Hedges, Mixed Border, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier, Tropical
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
ABUTILON megapotamicum
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
Indian mallow or Velvetleaf
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
Abutilon
In German
Kracher penstemon
Abutilon
In French
Firecracker penstemon
Abutilon
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
Abutilon
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
Abutilon
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
Abutilon
In Polish
petarda penstemon
Abutilon
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
Abutilon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Tracheophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Malvales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Malvaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Abutilon
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Malveae
Subfamily
-
Malvoideae
Number of Species
250200
1
27800
👆🏻