Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Shrub
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
-
Orange, Dark Red (Ratan aboli), Yellow, Delhi Crossandra , Arka Ambara, Arka Kanaka (IIHR varieties)
Number of Varieties
26
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Screen Cottage and Informal Garden, Urban areas, Wild
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-7
10-9
Sunset Zone
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm40.60 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Orange, Orange Red
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
Brown, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Arrowhead
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
-
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Water daily during growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Balanced liquid fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
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
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Beautification, Bouquets, Cottage Garden, Ground Cover, Hanging Basket, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Agroforestry
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Antibacterial, Aphrodisiac, Bronchitis, Cough, Liver problems, Menstrual Disorders
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Basketary, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Container, Cutflower, Hedges, Tropical
Botanical Name
ERYTHRINA herbacea
CROSSANDRA infundibuliformis
Common Name
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
Crossandra, firecracker flower
In Hindi
Red Cardinal
Crossandra
In German
Red Cardinal
Crossandra
In French
Cardinal rouge
Crossandra
In Spanish
Cárdenas
Crossandra
In Greek
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
Crossandra
In Portuguese
Cardeal vermelho
Crossandra
In Polish
Red Cardinal
Crossandra
In Latin
Cardinalis Rubrum
Crossandra
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Scrophulariales
Family
Fabaceae
Acanthaceae
Genus
Erythrina
Crossandra
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Phaseoleae
-
Subfamily
Faboideae
-
Number of Species
1052
1
27800
👆🏻