How to Grow Bouvardia Plant

 

The scientific name of Hummingbird flower plant is Bouvardia ternifolia and the plant is also known as firecracker bush or scarlet bouvardia due to the clusters of bright red, trumpet-shaped flowers that appear on the stem tips. Actually hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies love the nectar-rich blooms of this flower. The hummingbird firecracker bush is native to the warm climates of Mexico and the southwestern United States, but it can tolerate temperatures as low as ten to fifteen degrees Fahrenheit. You can also grow this stunning plant indoors. Continue reading to learn more about growing bouvardia hummingbird flowers in your own home or garden.

 

How to Grow Hummingbird Flowers

Hummingbird flower plant is a perennial, the plants will actually die back in cooler climates. Hummingbird flower plant is a low-maintenance plant and is easy to get along with and it will bloom all winter where temperatures are consistently above sixty degrees Fahrenheit. The scarlet bouvardia tolerates partial shade, but it will bloom continuously in bright sunlight. Indoors, the plant should be placed in your brightest window. Make sure you place it under fluorescent bulbs or grow lights during the winter. The plant should not be crowded and it should have plenty of air circulation. Humid conditions can actually invite disease. Similarly, chilly indoor conditions during the winter months can be unhealthy. Make sure the plant is water deeply when the soil looks and feels dry. The potted plants need to be water until it runs through the drainage hole, and then allow the potting mix to dry before watering again. A little wilt won’t hurt scarlet bouvardia, but soggy soil may rot the plant stem. As part of your bouvardia flower care, you will want to fertilize the plant regularly, using a balanced, general-purpose fertilizer. Water-soluble fertilizer is generally easiest for potted plants. Make sure you remove wilted flowers regularly in other to keep the plant neat. Regular deadheading of the plant also encourages more blooms. The Hummingbird flower plant does well with hard trimming only when it’s actively growing. You can carefully cut the plant back to half its height any time it looks tired or untidy. The Hummingbird flower plant is relatively pest-resistant but is sometimes prone to attacks by whiteflies. If this happens you can apply insecticidal soap spray to keep the pests in control.