Fountainbush facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fountainbush |
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Russelia
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equisetiformis
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Russelia equisetiformis, often called the fountainbush or firecracker plant, is a beautiful flowering plant. It gets its common names because its branches look like a fountain, and its bright red flowers look like tiny firecrackers! Other names for it include coral plant, coral fountain, coralblow, or fountain plant. This plant is part of the Plantaginaceae family. It originally comes from Mexico and Guatemala.
The Latin part of its scientific name, equisetiformis, means "like Equisetum". Equisetum is a plant often called horsetail, but the fountainbush is not closely related to it.
What Does the Fountainbush Look Like?
The fountainbush is a type of small shrub that grows many branches. These branches can grow about 1.2 to 1.5 meters (4 to 5 feet) long and arch gracefully, making the plant look like a green fountain. Its stems and tiny oval leaves are a bright green color.
This plant blooms with many small, red flowers that hang downwards. It can flower all year long in warm, tropical, and subtropical places. Many hummingbirds and butterflies love to visit the fountainbush because it provides a lot of nectar for them.
Growing the Fountainbush
People often grow Russelia equisetiformis as an ornamental plant because it is so pretty. You can find it in gardens in warmer areas, or in window boxes, pots, and hanging baskets. There are even types of fountainbush that have ivory white or pink flowers instead of red ones.
The plant grows best when it gets at least half a day of sunshine. However, it can still grow well in many different light conditions.
You can train the fountainbush to grow flat against a wall or trellis, which is called espalier. This makes a nice vertical display. It can also be used in a pot to create a screen on a balcony or terrace.
The fountainbush can handle cold temperatures down to about -6 degrees Celsius (21 degrees Fahrenheit). But some experts say it cannot survive temperatures below 5 degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit). In colder places, people might need to keep it indoors during winter. If you keep it as a houseplant, make sure it gets plenty of light.
In the United Kingdom, the Royal Horticultural Society has given the fountainbush its Award of Garden Merit. This award means it is an excellent plant for gardens.
See also
In Spanish: Lágrimas de Cupido para niños
