Russelia equisetiformis
Coral Fountains
Family: Plantaginaceae
Mostly evergreen, billowing perennial with broomy, mostly leafless, green stems. Plants can get 4-5’ tall. and wide in the ground. Great in containers and often spill over the sides. Usually, coral, tubular flowers appear in warm weather, and if plants are in full sun, they can bloom every month of the year, including times when little else is blooming. Various other colors exist ranging from white, yellow, pale orange & shades of red.
Full sun (even reflective heat) to shade, moderate to regular water, root hardy to 10°F. Plants are damaged by frost but grow back quickly. More sun produces more flowers.
Attracts hummingbirds. Larval host for the common buckeye butterfly (Junonia coenia).
The flowers are edible and can be added to salads. The foliage is made into a very pleasant tea (the plant has anti-depressant properties). The whole stems of Fountainbush fresh or dried, are taken orally in form of infusions or decoctions. This plant is used as medicine all over the world (it has become naturalized throughout the tropics) for a wide range of conditions.
The genus name, Russelia, honors Alexander Russell (1715–1768) a Scottish physician and naturalist. The specific epithet means "like Equisetum" in reference to this plants resemblance to some species of horse tail rush.
From Mexico and Guatemala, sea level to 4500 ft.
Flower Detail, photo by Subramanian Sevgan, iNaturalist
A yellow-flowering variant, photo by sarangib, Pixabay
The plant growing in its native habitat, Puebla Mexico, photo by Juan Carlos López Domínguez , iNaturalist