Flame Acanthus / Firebush

Flame Acanthus / Firebush

Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii

Plant portrait: A loose, airy Texas native shrub carrying slender flame-colored flowers through summer heat.

Garden rhythm: Deciduous perennial shrub; full sun to part sun, excellent heat and drought tolerance once established.

Garden companions: Hummingbirds and butterflies visit its tubular flowers.

Worth noticing: The dry capsules can spring open and scatter seed—the tiny summer explosion already preserved in the Garden Archive. “Flame acanthus” avoids confusion with true firebush, Hamelia patens.