Plants
Firecracker Flower
Crossandra infundibuliformis · Acanthaceae
The crossandra is a little piece of the tropics for the windowsill: above glossy, dark green foliage, fan-shaped blooms in warm salmon orange glow for weeks, pushed out one after another from green flower spikes. Here it is still an insider tip among flowering houseplants — give it warmth, light and even moisture and it rewards you with an astonishingly long flowering season.
- Care level
- Medium
- Botanical
- Crossandra infundibuliformis
The contrast is what makes crossandra so appealing: lacquer-glossy leaves reminiscent of gardenias, topped by soft, asymmetrical flower fans in salmon to orange. The best-known cultivar „Fortuna“ is compact, free-flowering and considerably tougher than older breeding lines.
As a tropical child of southern India, crossandra loves constant warmth: 20 to 25 degrees all year, never below 15 degrees, no cold draughts and no cold irrigation water. The classic mistake is a spot by a tilted window in autumn — a few cold nights and it answers with leaf drop.
For light the rule is: bright but filtered. At an east or west window or behind a sheer curtain it flowers longest; harsh midday sun bleaches the blooms and dulls the foliage.
The soil should stay evenly, lightly moist, watered with room-temperature, ideally soft water. Raised humidity — plant neighbours, a saucer of moist gravel or occasional misting of the leaves (not the flowers) — prevents brown leaf tips, especially above a radiator in winter.
Spent flower fans drop by themselves while the green spike remains and pushes out new blooms — it is only cut once it has finished flowering completely. In spring the plant takes a cutback by a third, which keeps it compact and encourages branching.
For pet households crossandra is easy-going: it is considered non-toxic to cats, dogs and children. On a warm windowsill it combines beautifully with other tropical plants such as calathea or peace lily, which share its need for warmth and humidity.
Is Firecracker Flower toxic to children and pets?
- Children
- Non-toxic
- Cats
- Non-toxic
- Dogs
- Non-toxic
Crossandra is considered non-toxic to cats, dogs and children. In its homeland the flowers are even worn traditionally as hair adornment. As with all ornamental plants, eating it is still not advised.
Overview: toxic & non-toxic plants for cats, dogs and children
Care
- 01Keep it warm: 20–25 °C year-round, never below 15 °C, no cold draughts.
- 02Bright but without harsh midday sun — east or west windows are ideal.
- 03Keep evenly, lightly moist and water with room-temperature, soft water.
- 04Provide raised humidity, especially above radiators in winter.
- 05Feed lightly every two weeks from spring to autumn.
- 06Cut out finished flower spikes and trim the plant back by a third in spring.
Frequently asked
- Is crossandra toxic to cats or dogs?
- No, Crossandra infundibuliformis is considered non-toxic to cats, dogs and people. In southern India the flowers are even worn traditionally in the hair. That makes it one of the safest exotic flowering plants for pet households.
- Why is my crossandra dropping leaves?
- Leaf drop in crossandra is almost always a cold signal: temperatures below 15 degrees, cold draughts from a tilted window or ice-cold irrigation water. Move it somewhere warmer, water at room temperature and be patient — under stable conditions it shoots again.
- How long does crossandra flower?
- In a warm, bright spot it flowers from spring into autumn, because the green spikes keep pushing out new flower fans for weeks. The key is to cut each spike only once it has finished completely, and to feed lightly on a regular basis.
- Why is crossandra called firecracker flower?
- Because of its seed pods: on contact with moisture they burst open audibly and fling out their seeds with a little pop. The name has nothing to do with the flowers — those are decidedly gentle in colour and form.