The firecracker flower is a flowering, herbaceous perennial wildflower in the asparagus family native to the woods, coastal grasslands, and mountainous regions of California and Oregon. It has showy red flowers that hang in clusters off a single stalk with a few grass-like leaves at the base of the plant. The flowering stem is generally curved or twisted (not straight). When this wildflower blooms surrounding grasses are maturing and turning brown, thus the plant signals the beginning of summer. It is the only species in the genus that is pollinated by birds. The firecracker flower prefers full sun and and is easy to grow in dry, well-drained soil in full sun. However, it is a hardy plant that can tolerate poor soil, shade and drought. The plants must be given a dry summer dormancy and should be planted in the ground or in a deep enough pot to provide good room for roots. The plant will spread in time to form colonies from bulbs or seed. Note that when grown from seed, it can take several months before seedlings appear. Use in the border of a drought-tolerant or pollinator garden. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day) | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Occasionally Dry
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in. | Width: 3 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Ascending; Clumping; Erect
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Hairs present
No
Flower color
Green; Pink; Red/Burgundy
Flower value
Good Cut; Showy
Flower form
Umbel
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
The flowers bloom from May to July in open umbels of several pendant, long tubular flowers with a crimson red tube and short green reflexed tips.