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Hamelia patens Jacq. var. patens
Firebush
Scarletbush
Florida native
A woody shrub or small tree of hardwood forests, coastal hammocks and shell middens in the central and southern peninsula, rarely inland. Also found in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
This evergreen shrub to small tree grows to 5m (16 ft.) tall. The narrow tubular, red to orange flowers from 1.3-4cm (1/2 to 1-1/2 in.) long and about 3mm (1/8 in.) wide grow in terminal and axillary clusters and may bloom all year. Leaves are most frequently in whorls of three, pubescent leaves that are entire, elliptic, 5-15cm (2-6 in.) long and 2-8cm (3/4 - 3 in.) wide. Fruit is a round, juicy berry 5-10mm in diameter and maturing into red to a purplish-black.
Firebush is also a popular landscape plant. Note that many plants sold as firebush may be a non-native variety - Hamelia patens var. glabra. The non-native plant has paler flowers, often with a tight constriction near the base of the tube, and almost always leaves in whorls of four. The leaves are smooth, or glabrous, without hairs. Often marketed as African or dwarf firebush, it has little to no value to wildlife. For more on the difference between native and non-native firebush, read The Hamelia Mess by Roger Hammer.
Hamelia patens is a member of the Rubiaceae - Madder family.
Other species of the Hamelia genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Hamelia patens var. glabra - DWARF FIREBUSH
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: Sep 19, 2025
