Please make sure JavaScript is enabled.
 
Fire Spike in the GardenTags plant encyclopedia

Odontonema cuspidatum syn. Thyrsacanthus cuspidatus

 

Fire Spike

Odontonema are tropical perennials or shrubs native to Columbia. They have large leaves and flowers which are clustered in the axils of bracts,that form a plume-shaped flower-head. Odontonema cuspidatum bears red tubular flowers in late Summer and Autumn, that may be followed by hairless, club-shaped seed capsules.

Contributed by @carol13450

 
plant Features
  • Fire Spike likes full sun

    Full sun

  • Fire Spike likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

  • Fire Spike is not frost hardy

    Not Frost hardy

  • Fire Spike likes moist and free draining

    Moist and free draining

 
plant information

Common name

Fire Spike

Latin name

Odontonema cuspidatum syn. Thyrsacanthus cuspidatus

type

Evergreen Shrub

family

Acanthaceae

ph

5.5 - 8.5 Acid - Neutral

  • Light

    Fire Spike likes full sun

    Full sun

  • Frost

    Fire Spike is not frost hardy

    Not Frost hardy

  • Soil

    Fire Spike likes moist and free draining

    Moist and free draining

  • Water

    Fire Spike likes occasional watering

    Occasional watering

Plant & bloom calendar

  •  
    Best time to plant
  •  
    When the plant will bloom

full grown dimensions

The size of a fully grown Fire Spike is 1.50meters x 2.50meters 1.50 M 2.50 M

Odontonema cuspidatum syn. Thyrsacanthus cuspidatus

Odontonema are tropical perennials or shrubs native to Columbia. They have large leaves and flowers which are clustered in the axils of bracts,that form a plume-shaped flower-head. Odontonema cuspidatum bears red tubular flowers in late Summer and Autumn, that may be followed by hairless, club-shaped seed capsules.


Flowering

From Late Summer TO Mid Autumn

Tubular red flowers appear from late Summer to Autumn

 

Propagating by cuttings

From Late Spring TO Early Summer

Take softwood cuttings from new growth early in the day in Spring or early Summer. Cut, neatly, a 4" approx. piece of a non-flowering shoot, pinch out the tip, and cut off the bottom leaves. Dip the bottom of the cutting in hormone rooting powder, and carefully place in a pot of cutting compost with the leaves just above the level of the compost. Water, label, cover with a polythene bag, and place in a warm, bright place, out of direct sunlight. Take the polythene bag off periodically for a while for ventilation (at least twice a week)

 

Planting

From Early Spring TO Late Spring

Unless you are in an area with a tropical or sub-tropical climate this is a plant that will need to be grown in a container indoors. Grow in John Innes No. 3 compost, and place the container in bright, filtered light. If grown outdoors, plant in a sheltered sunny spot in moist but free-draining soil

 
Subscribe to GardenTags Premium to get personalised planting tasks and more for your entire plant collection
 
Gardeners who are growing this plant