Hamelia patens
Firebush
Family: Rubiaceae
Evergreen or semi-evergreen herbaceous shrub to 3’ tall x 5’ wide. In protected frost free locations this plant can become tree-like, and reach 10’ or more. Flowers in warm weather, and leaves turn red in cool temperatures. The fruit is a small dark red berry, turning black at maturity. Nice container plant.
Grow in full to part sun but perhaps avoid too much reflected heat in the summer. Provide moderate water. Cool weather will turn the foliage red and freezing temperatures can defoliate plants. However this plant is root hardy to 10° F and will re-emerge from the base in spring.
Used especially by hummingbirds. Larval food plant for the pluto sphinx (Xylophanes pluto). Fruits used by birds.
The fruits have a refreshing, acidic taste and are eaten fresh; in Mexico, they are made into a fermented drink. The leaves and stems used for tanning or for herbal treatment of cuts and bruises, and for lotions. A syrup from the fruit has reportedly been used in the West Indies as a remedy for dysentery.
The name honors French botanist Henri-Louis Duhamel du Monceau (1700–1782) a French physician, naval engineer and botanist. The species epithet patens is Latin for “spreading” or “to be open” and refers to the plant's growth habit.
Native to the American subtropics and tropics. Its range extends from Florida in the southern United States to as far south as Argentina.
Photo by Don McCulley, Wikipedia