Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants
Shrub
Origin
Southwestern United States, California
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
402
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, meadows
Cultivated Beds
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-98-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
11-7
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.00 cm90.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm60.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Crimson
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
-
Brown, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Blue Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Arrowhead
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings
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
Average Water Needs
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
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Apply 10-10-10 amount
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Insects
-
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
Hummingbirds
Allergy
Asthma
Toxic
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Borders
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON eatonii
ERYTHRINA herbacea
Common Name
Firecracker Penstemon
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
In Hindi
Firecracker penstemon
Red Cardinal
In German
Kracher penstemon
Red Cardinal
In French
Firecracker penstemon
Cardinal rouge
In Spanish
Penstemon del petardo
Cárdenas
In Greek
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
In Portuguese
Penstemon do foguete
Cardeal vermelho
In Polish
petarda penstemon
Red Cardinal
In Latin
Firecracker Persicaria
Cardinalis Rubrum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
-
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Fabales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Erythrina
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Phaseoleae
Subfamily
-
Faboideae
Number of Species
25010
1
27800
👆🏻