Embothrium coccineum (Chilean fire bush, Chilean flame flower)
Botanical Information
| Family | Proteaceae |
| Genus | Embothrium |
| Species | coccineum |
| Category | Tropicals, Woody |
| Type | Tree (evergreen), Shrub (evergreen) |
| Origin | Introduced into cultivation through Veitch's Nursery near Exeter, Devon, England who enlisted the plant collector William Lobb (1809-1864) on one of his expeditions to Chile. The plant flowered for the first time in England at Veitch's Nursery in May, 1853. Native to Chile and southwest Argentina. |
| Pronunciation |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 7b |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | Requires cold season protection under glass. |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H5 |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -15 |
| Height | 4-8 metres |
| Spread | 2.5-4 metres |
| Flowering Period | May, June |
Description and Growing Information
| Shape | An upright evergreen bushy shrub or small tree. |
| Landscape | Borders and as an accent specimen. |
| Propagation | By seed or semi-hardwood cuttings in mid-summer. |
| Cultivation | Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained neutral to acid soil in full sun. |
| Pests | Red spider mite. |
| Notable Specimens | Trebah Garden Trust, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom. |
| Habitat | Grows in open woodland at low altitudes. |
| Bark/Stem Description | A multi-trunked tree. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Simple leathery, lance-shaped leaves. |
| Flower Description | Showy tubular bright orange-red flowers with four recurved lobes in cluster. |
Photographs
Embothrium coccineum, form.
Embothrium coccineum, leaf.
Embothrium coccineum, flower cluster.
Embothrium coccineum, form. Trebah Garden Trust, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Embothrium coccineum, leaf. Trebah Garden Trust, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Embothrium coccineum, flower. Trebah Garden Trust, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Embothrium coccineum, form, Trebah Garden Trust, Mawnan Smith, Falmouth, Cornwall, United Kingdom.