Manettia luteorubra

Manettia luteorubra

This lightweight twiner is sometimes called the Brazilian firecracker (ht 2-4 m) - though it hails from Paraguay and Uruguay. It belongs to the Rubiaceae family of plants, which includes a number of useful specimens for our Sydney climate. It has small but electrifyingly coloured tubular flowers, which are brilliant red with yellow tips. It blooms from late spring till autumn. I allow it to wind through my hot-coloured border, creating vivid highlights amongst the other flowers. It enjoys a reasonable soil and likes to grow in dappled or partial shade. It grows well on fences and arches. It can be trimmed back in August each year. It sometimes takes root where a stem touches the ground, and these pieces can be used to propagate it.