Pagoda flower

Description:

This is an erect, open semiwoody shrub with large evergreen leaves and huge showy clusters of orange-red or scarlet flowers held above the foliage. The bush sometimes has multiple stems and gets 3-5 ft tall, spreading 2-3 ft across. The handsome, tropical looking leaves can be as large as 12 in across, they have heart shaped bases; lower leaves are lobed and upper leaves entire. They are arranged in opposite pairs along the fast growing stems which often branch from the roots rather than from a single trunk. The flowers are funnel shaped with long tubes. The flowers within the pyramid shaped cluster are tiered, like a Japanese pagoda. The showy display lasts from summer through autumn with additional sporadic flowering throughout the year in frost free climates. Pagoda flower is a fast growing shrub. It does best in a rich, slightly moisture retentive soil.

Habitat:

Various, from waste-ground to rainforest, often close to fresh water.