There was a new firecracker in town for the long Fourth of July celebration weekend and The Garden Guy couldn’t be happier. It's not the kind of firecracker to make noise (other than the sounds of hummingbird’s wings rushing in to feed). It’s not just for July 4, either, but the entire summer, too! The plant I am referring to Estrellita Little Star, Proven Winners' new Bouvardia, or firecracker bush.
Bouvardia is in the Rubiaceae family with other great firecrackers like the Manettia cordifolia, or firecracker vine, which is also incredible, but I have never seen it for sale. Bouvardia is related to ixora, firebush and Crossandra, which is also a firecracker flower. The Rubiaceae family also has coffee and the gardenia (I would like to visit with a taxonomist on that one).
Estrellita Little Star gets about 2 feet tall and as wide. The flowers will shock you with their glowing red/orange color that does seem to be nature’s version of a floral explosion. The flowers mature to a hot coral pink. The flower clusters just keep coming without deadheading or any exuberant maintenance on your part.
