Dicliptera squarrosa aka Hummingbird Bush

Dicliptera squarrosa belongs to the Acanthaceae family. It is a tender perennial, which means it lives for years but cannot stand much cold. Its native range runs from Peru to Brazil and northern Argentina. It grows in tropical regions with a dry season. Gardeners call it firecracker plant or hummingbird plant. It also has two older names: Dicliptera suberecta and Jacobinia suberecta. Kew describes the wild plant as a scrambling subshrub or shrub. In gardens, it forms a low, bushy mound.

Plants reach about 1.5–2 feet (0.46–0.61 metres) tall. They often grow as wide as they grow tall. North Carolina State lists widths reaching 3 feet (0.91 metres). The plant grows at a medium rate. Its simple, oval leaves have soft hairs and feel like velvet. Their colour ranges from pale grey-green to silver-grey. Leaves grow in pairs on opposite sides of each stem. Each new pair turns across the pair below it. Leaf blades reach about 0.21–0.25 feet (0.064–0.076 metres) long.

Groups of flowers grow at the tips of the stems. Each orange-red bloom has a tube and two lips. Flowers measure about 0.15 feet (0.045 metres) long. The listed bloom time runs from July through September. Other accounts give a broader span: summer and into autumn. Hummingbirds and butterflies both visit the blooms. The fruit is a capsule with two wing-like parts. These wings gave the genus its name. The species name refers to parts that spread or curve back.

Grow this plant in full sun and soil that drains well. It also accepts light shade and loam rich in organic matter. It needs average moisture but can cope with dry spells. It copes with heat and humid air. It also has some resistance to salt. Missouri Botanical Garden places it in USDA zones 8–10. North Carolina State also lists zone 7 with mulch for protection. Cold winters limit its use as a plant that lives outdoors for years. In colder areas, gardeners can grow it for one year. They can keep cuttings indoors through winter, then plant them next spring.

Its mound shape and bright flowers suit pots and hanging baskets. It also adds a point of interest to garden borders. The pale leaves add interest along with the blooms. Both garden sources report few serious problems with insects or disease. The supplied evidence does not establish food uses or toxicity.