I have both as well - they are really scrawny, but I have them tucked into some shorter plants and they look o.k. - I've learned to live with their look.

I planted two a couple years ago, and they don't look much better than yours. I have seen some in pots at a botanical garden that were huge full plants, though.
I've got an idea they may be high maintenance.

I have a very large plant growing in a large clay pot next to my front door. The only thing in the pot is the yellow/cream colored firecracker and it gets watered regularly. The plant is fairly full during the summer although right now it's rather scraggly due to getting hit by a couple light frosts. One thing to look out for with this plant is that whereever the trailing braches/stems hit the ground they will start a new plant. I had to remove over a dozen plants from around the base of the pot when they started choking out some daylilies.

I have some of the red firecracker growing in another pot that doesn't get watered as often and that plant does look pretty scraggly.

It is not a high maintenance plant. My friend had it planted in the shade and she was a snowbird. I doubt she ever fertilized it. It grows easily from cuttings. I didn't know the hummers loved it. I will have to find a sheltered place to plant it!

Zack, I don't know if you would want this up there. It's considered a tropical plant and doesn't take the cold very well. I think I might may even have to protect mine during colder winters. If you want it around your house, I would suggest potting it so you can move it around and bring it inside on the colder nights. However, given you are a MG, you probably already have protection plans in mind!

I was thinking of taking cuttings in spring, as stated above, but after reading Karalynn's warning, I may just put some empty pots of soil around them and let the stems touch the pots until they root. So... umm... Pot Layering?

What a pretty and inviting entry, sis3! :)

I agree, that is a wonderful entry! What is the red leafes plant that is growing along the sidewalk and in front of the firecracker?

Kara

They do like moist, rich soil - have you looked @ Floridata yet?

Here is a link that might be useful: Russelia equisetiformis

Thank you Shear and Karalynn. The red leaved plant is Maple Leaf Hibiscus, Karalynn.

I agree that Firecracker is a low maintenance plant. Mine is never fertilized and apart from trimming it back once or twice each year, I leave it alone. It gets full morning sun. There was a Firecracker in a neighbor's yard that was totally neglected for years with no watering other than rain. It thrived.

Maple Leaf Hisbiscus

Yes, Carol, I've looked at the Floridata site (thanks though) as well as the UF/IFAS information on the plant, as well as a few other sites. But even the picture on the Floridata site shows a spindly looking specimen.

I have mine in a nice, sunny spot that is on the low part of my yard (I live on a gentle slope) so that it should get plenty of run-off... if there is any. All this sand I'm on top of, we rarely get true run-off anywhere except the roads. However, I plan on running a drip line from my rainbarrel to make sure they get all the water they need to grow nice and lush.

My experience with Firecracker plants is that they all start out lopsided and spindly. BUT... they all end up large and fuffy after a few growing seasons. Good luck!

Michael,

You still have those firecrackers? How did they fill out?

I've started keeping mine in big pots, it takes awhile but they can be very invasive. I like them and I have seen great huge mass plantings of them that look awesome but like I said, they become out of hand and shouldn't be put in the ground unless you like that look. I had to pull mine all out of an area a couple of years ago because they took over. And yes at first they look straggly, give them time. I like them because they take very little care and the hummers go to them. When the foliage gets really long it bends to the ground and takes root wherever it touches, like mentioned previously. It's easy to pull out so you can share with friends.

Iam using flower stakes to prop them up.

The condo we rented when we first relocated had a really nice hedge of plumeria and Firecracker plants. They were all really large and didn't seem to be high maibtenance.