Flame Acanthus

By Debbie Roland, Master Gardener

SAVE THE DATE:  The Fall Master Gardener Plant Sale is planned for September 6, 2025. 

Flame Acanthus is a heat-loving hummingbird magnet that brings a fiery color to your garden.  Anisacanthus quadrifidus var. wrightii is the choice for our area and is on the Permian Basin Master Gardener Plant List.  Also known as the hummingbird bush this native Texas plant is a favorite for wildlife lovers and xeriscape gardeners.

It is a deciduous shrub that will grow 3’ to 5’ tall and wide.  In early summer, it bursts with bright orange-red tubular flowers that continue blooming until fall, especially with regular pruning or light shearing.  Butterflies and bees are also attracted to it making it a key player in a pollinator-friendly landscape.

Its greatest strength is its ability to handle the West Texas heat and drought.  Once established it needs little water and performs well in full sun.  It can thrive in good soil as well as poor soil.  Overwatering will make it leggy and reduce blooming.   Flame Acanthus grows naturally in dry, rocky terrain across central and west Texas.  Its narrow, slightly fuzzy leaves give it a soft texture that contracts nicely with its bright flowers.  After losing its leaves in the winter it rebounds quickly in spring.

Plant in well-drained soil in a sunny area.  Prune it back hard in late winter or early spring to maintain a tidy shape and encourage blooming.  Trimming during the growing season will promote fuller growth and more flowers.  Since it tolerates pruning it can be used as a background plant or a hedge.  This plant is deer-resistant making it a good choice for rural areas.

Flame Acanthus plays an ecological role as well.   Its nectar-rich flowers support migrating hummingbirds and native pollinators during hot months when other blooms may be spent.  Including it in your landscape helps sustain wildlife.

If you are seeking beauty with resilience this plant checks all the boxes.  Whether you plant to update a garden bed or just want to add native plants (we recommend that) to your yard, give this Texas native a spot in your yard.

By the way, this plant is usually available at the Spring Master Gardener Plant Sale. 

If you have questions, call the AgriLife office in Odessa at 498-4071 or in Midland at 686-4700.   Additional information, and our blog for access to past articles, is available at westtexasgardening.org.  Click on “Resources.”