''Russelia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the plantain family, Plantaginaceae. It is sometimes placed in the families Scrophulariaceae or Veronicaceae. The name honours Scottish naturalist Alexander Russell (1715–1768). Members of the genus are commonly known as firecracker plants or coralblows. ''Russelia'' species grow in many parts of the world and are mildly drought resistant. ''

Russelia equisetiformis ''Russelia equisetiformis'', the fountainbush, firecracker plant, coral plant, coral fountain, coralblow or fountain plant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Plantaginaceae. This weeping subshrub is native to Mexico and Guatemala.

'' and ''

Russelia sarmentosa ''Russelia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the plantain family, Plantaginaceae. It is sometimes placed in the families Scrophulariaceae or Veronicaceae. The name honours Scottish naturalist Alexander Russell (1715–1768). Members of the ...

'' are commonly used to hide unattractive retaining walls or fences because they grow quickly and have dense foliage. Growing to a maximum height of , they are

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s which will tolerate full sun to partial shade. As evergreens they bloom for most of the year. Due to their attractively coloured flowers, these bushes attract birds and insects (such as

bee Bees are winged insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their roles in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the western honey bee, for producing honey. Bees are a monophyly, monophyletic lineage within the ...

s) that feed on flower

nectar Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists ...

Selected species

Sources

References

External links