firecrackerbush
Bouvardia ternifolia
The fiery red, tubular flowers are evolutionarily tailored to fit the long, slender bills of hummingbirds, which act as its primary pollinators.
- Scientific name
- Bouvardia ternifolia
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Magnoliopsida › Gentianales › Rubiaceae › Bouvardia
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- desert
- Habitat
- Rocky canyons, desert grasslands, shrubby hillsides, and oak-pine woodlands.
- Diet
- Autotrophic (Photosynthesis)
- Range
- Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Mexico
- Size
- 0.6 to 1.2 meters (2 to 4 feet) tall
- Lifespan
- 5-10 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat fragmentation, urbanization, and overgrazing by livestock.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. This vibrant shrub is safe to approach and touch. Observe from any distance, especially to watch the hummingbirds and butterflies it attracts. No special precautions are needed as it is non-toxic to touch.
Bouvardia ternifolia , the firecracker bush , is a shrub widespread across much of Mexico, the range extending south into Honduras and north into the southwestern United States (Arizona, New Mexico and Texas).
Photo: Sue Carnahan, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
Plain-text version: /species/4d98a6f3-ff4d-4f4c-ad0c-97f6d06246b6.md