Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Flowering Plants
Origin
United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States, Texas, Mexico
Southwestern United States, California
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
240
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Dry areas, meadows
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-114-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
11-7
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21
Habit
Upright/Erect
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm61.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Magenta, Orange Red
Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Red
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Blue Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Blue Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Blue Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Arrowhead
Oblong
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Do Not over Water, Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
No pruning needed in the early stages, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove deadheads
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, 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
Toxic
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
-
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antiemetic, Diuretic, Purgative, Tonic
Burns, Snakebite, Stomach aliments
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as a general tonic, Used as a rat poison, Used as a vegetable
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall, Wildflower
Container, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
ERYTHRINA herbacea
PENSTEMON eatonii
Common Name
Red cardinal, Cardinal spear
Firecracker Penstemon
In Hindi
Red Cardinal
Firecracker penstemon
In German
Red Cardinal
Kracher penstemon
In French
Cardinal rouge
Firecracker penstemon
In Spanish
Cárdenas
Penstemon del petardo
In Greek
κόκκινο Καρδινάλιος
πυροτέχνημα penstemon
In Portuguese
Cardeal vermelho
Penstemon do foguete
In Polish
Red Cardinal
petarda penstemon
In Latin
Cardinalis Rubrum
Firecracker Persicaria
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Fabales
Lamiales
Family
Fabaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Genus
Erythrina
Penstemon
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Phaseoleae
-
Subfamily
Faboideae
-
Number of Species
10250
1
27800
👆🏻