With summer here in full force, it is outdoor entertaining season for many of us. And that means adding flourishes of color for the deck or living room. There is no end of fine choices for such a ...

Crossandra (Crossandra infundibuliformis) is a tropical, evergreen shrub native to Asia. It grows about 2 feet tall and wide indoors and outdoors. Its near-continuous blooming sends spear-shaped ...

Here we are, three-quarters through the summer heat of July; the spark, crackle and vast array of colorful fireworks all but a fading glow in our mind’s eye. Crossandra, known as the “firecracker ...

I can't help wondering if firecracker plants grew in pots on Mayan pyramids as the human sacrifices went on and on. After all, this is a Meso-American native, but most botany references point to ...

The cigar plant (Cuphea ignea) is sometimes referred to as firecracker plant but the two should not be confused. Lokalia is larger and has a more arching growth habit. Both plants attract butterflies, ...

Streaks of fire aren’t limited to the sky on Independence Day. Many plants present pops of fiery red and orange during hot summer days. Here’s a sampling of plants with “fire” names that add sizzle to ...

If I’m being honest, the hardest part of writing this column each week is deciding what plant to write about. Once I’ve decided what to write about and why it makes sense to choose that particular ...