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txmarti

How big is your flame acanthus?

TxMarti
9 years ago

For years mine stayed at the 12-18 inch level and last year it shot up to about 36 inches. Is that about how tall it will stay or will it get taller? It's in an area that gets a little water once a week.

Comments (11)

  • bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ours hits nearly 5 ft by this time of year with only monthly supplemental water when needed. Somewhere in the 4 to 6 foot range is probably typical without trimming.

  • sylviatexas1
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    When mine got tall, it sprawled & splayed out from its own weight, & the woody stems were visible in a not-beautiful way.

  • jardineratx
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I have always kept the flame acanthus at about 3 foot tall by trimming occasionally. I, too, find that it will sprawl and become too woody, but pruning hard (to ground level)in early spring, then another trim in early summer keeps it full.
    Molly

  • bostedo: 8a tx-bp-dfw
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Have seen them nicely trimmed as hedges further south, but no experience on how well it works with the winter die-back we get in north Texas - may try it next year based on Molly's pruning schedule. Left alone in partial shade against a fence, ours mostly grow into that natural vertical shape, though they do try to put sun-seeking side shoots out over the pool which we usually trim off.

    Here is a link that might be useful:

  • TexasRanger10
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    bostedo, Mine looks about like yours, it comes up to my chin, I am 5'8". I have another in afternoon sun only, it sprawls but it still looks good, its even bigger, like a low shrub but it blooms heavily there. I'm way up here in central Oklahoma and mine dies back too but not all the way to the ground, they are planted in sandy soil. I trimmed them short in spring to about 6" or so. I'm trimming the one in part sun next year mid season.

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I look up at mine and I trim it back in the spring. I am taking it out of where it is. To big but I am putting seedlings in other places.

  • annieinaustin
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The two flame acanthus plants in more sun are about 3-feet; the one in part shade is around 4-ft. The 4-ft plant gets taller some years but the thundersleet/19F in early March smacked all three back so they started out shorter this spring.

  • Molly2502
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am going to try this Flame Acanthus next year(2015). The lady at our Garden Center said I had to get one for next Spring and she would put one aside for me(she said she had not one hummingbird until she planted this one plant and she thought she got every hummer in the neighborhood to visit.) They were all out for the Fall Planting. Our Garden Lady said for me to treat it like an Annual as a hard freeze/snow/Ice would kill it. But it looks like your post are saying it comes back each year? Do you mulch it? If so, how much mulch? How many inches? How much Sun does this plant need to bloom well? Our back yard where I want to plant it so I can see the hummingbirds/butterflies/bees gets about 6 hours of very intense hot afternoon sun. Will that be enough? We can plant in in the front yard bed but will not get to see the hummers as much. Also I need advice on types of Foundation plants for Front yard that is in shade. When we get the Bradford Pear tree down(last storm took out half of it). That area will get part sun(afternoon) and part shade(I guess it will get half/half), but the sun will be all intense afternoon and not any morning sun. I would like idea's for Foundation plants (taller shrubs for near house, then medium size shrubs for middle area and then shorter plants in front right at Lawn edge. I need idea's for side of house that gets 1 hour of afternoon sun in the summer at the front edge and then I have a middle and at the back of house that is in dense shade all summer. Do not want this area to get over 5 ft. tall as we have windows. The sun on side will get a lot of winter sun after all the leaves fall off of trees. Would like Drought Tolerant shrubs after 1st 2 years. Evergreen or Decidouis is fine. But would like shrubs that attract Hummingbirds in the early Spring when they arrive as we do not have anything blooming for that time of year. Love idea's to attract regular birds for nesting, roosting, and berries for food. We have Live Oaks and other Oak trees with lots of perching places, and Lichens for the Hummers and I guess tiny insects that Hummers were eating near their flight back. But could not see what they were eating. Need idea's for small garden Specimen Trees/Shrubs for Sun and Shade and Drought Resistant. My Husband and I just moved to Denton, Texas 2 years ago from N.C. Different gardening here due to the heat, hot, Intense Sun and different soil. I forgot to add. Since this backyard came with a pool the concrete slab can get our backyard heating up to 128 degrees or more when the Weather Channel says it will be 105 degrees. We get a lot of Plant Wilting due to the extreme heat. Some do not make it and die regardless of watering three times a day. Soil has very little dirt on top. Most call it Loamy but when my husband digs a hole it looks to me just like sand at the Beach Dunes in Beaches of N.C. I know I am asking a lot. But, I have read and researched so very much and when I think I have found a plant for a certain area I have to mark it off the list due will not tolerate our high extreme heat/sun/drought or too tall etc. and I have to start the research all over again. Have done this for 2 yeas, Spring, Summer and Fall. I am very frustrated. Sorry for the long post. Just at my Wit's End!

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Molly, Since you are asking so much, INstead of tacking on an old post, you might get more traction starting a new thread, You can just cut and paste this on a new thread.

    My girlfriend in OKC grows Flame acanthus as a perennial. It is a avery flexible plant. No need to treat it as an annual. 6 hours sun shine will get it to flower. It will also tolerate quite a bit of shade. It just won't bloom as much.

  • beachplant
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    mine is about 4' tall and 6' wide, it roots itself all over the front flower bed. I took rooted cuttings to the SA plant swap. It roots really easily. Mine stays green year round and usuallly blooms about 9 months of the year.
    Tally Ho!

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Mine does not root BUTit seeds all over in very porous dry soil. I just bought a A. linear is from the Big bend, It is supposed to get 6-12'tall and quite wide. IT needs space. It is itty bitty right now.

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