If you ask us how to beautify your home while putting in a little effort, we would say that there is nothing better than adding potted plants with bright flowers to your rooms. Yes, houseplants with colorful flowers like Crossandra plants will not only add a touch of beauty to your home but also bring a nature vibe indoors. Isn’t it great? What do you think?
Crossandra plants, most popularly known as the firecracker flower, is a fast-growing plant that requires bright and indirect sunlight to thrive. With bright orange, red, pink, and yellow blossoms and lush green leaves, this plant looks spectacular while keeping it in your house.
Crossandra Plants Frequently Asked Questions
Does Crossandra bloom all year?
The Crossandra plant is a beautiful long-lasting plant, this amazing plant can bloom all year once it is kept in the right conditions. Make sure you place the planter beside your window where it gets bright yet indirect sunlight.
How do you propagate Crossandra?
For the best results, when propagating the Crossandra plant cut the non-woody shoots properly and keep the cuttings about 4 inches long. Make sure that each cutting has a number of well-developed leaves. Now, you need to remove the bottom leaves and dip the plant cuttings into the rooting hormone.
ow do you prune firecrackers?
Prune your Crossandra also known as the firecracker plant in the early spring, just before it starts growing actively. When you trim your firecracker flower plant, it will develop healthy stems.
Crossandra Care Guide: How to Grow This Plant?
Crossandra plants, native to Sri Lanka and Southern India, usually bloom all year round. However, you can expect this plant to be in full bloom from spring to autumn. To let the plant, grow faster and also bloom well, make sure you take care of your plant properly. Here is how you will take care of this houseplant.
- Light: To let your Crossandra plants thrive fast, you need to place the planter beside your window where it gets bright yet indirect sunlight. Direct sunlight can affect your plant, especially during summer. So, just make sure that you do not make this mistake. .
. - Temperature and Humidity: Since Crossandra is a tropical subshrub, it is a heat-tolerant plant. Being cold-sensitive, this plant cannot stand a temperature lower than 55°F (13°C). It is due to cold weather; the growth of this plant can be stunted. Also, a temperature lower than 55°F may cause damage to its leaves.
Crossandra loves high humidity. So, the perfect weather conditions for Crossandra plants are medium temperature and high humidity. To maintain high humidity, you can water your plant at least once a week, especially when it is growing. For a better result, you can also place the planter on a tray, full of pebbles and water. But make sure that the bottom of the planter does not touch the water.
- Soil: Crossandra plants grow well in peat-based potting soil. Also, do not forget to check whether the soil is fast draining. For a better result, you can mix compost with the soil. In this way, your plant will get nutrients.
- Water: While the plant is thriving, water it frequently and do not let the soil dry out. Because this may cause your Crossandra plant to dry out. Slightly moist is what this plant prefers.
- Fertilizer: Want your Crossandra plant to grow fast? Feed it with liquid fertilizer once in 14 days and see how fast it thrives. During the spring and summer seasons, firecracker flowers grow well. So, this is the best time to feed this indoor plant.
Crossandra Plant Propagation
Spring is the best time for propagating Crossandra plants since this is the growing season. For the best results, cut the non-woody shoots properly and keep the cuttings about 4 inches long. Make sure that each cutting has a number of well-developed leaves.
Now, you need to remove the bottom leaves and dip the plant cuttings into the rooting hormone. The next step is about planting the cuttings. Take a planter and fill it with seed-starting soil. Once you fill the pot, plant the cuttings properly. You need to maintain proper heat and high humidity until the new plant grows. Young plants grow fast. So, you may have to repot the new plant after a month of planting the cuttings. Make sure you repot it before it starts blooming.
Repotting Crossandra Plants
You can repot your Crossandra plant when it fails to grow blossoms and starts shedding leaves. Also, the young plants need to be repotted before they start growing flowers. To repot this flowering plant, take a bigger planter and fill it with fresh soil. Then, repot it and give it plenty of indirect sunlight and maintain high humidity.
How to Prune Shade Loving Crossandra Plants
Prune your plant in the early spring, just before it starts growing actively. When you trim your firecracker flower plant, it will develop healthy stems. Also, you can use the cuttings for propagation, if you want. You can trim your plant again if it fails to bloom. In this way, you will help it bloom well.
Crossandra Plant Problems and Solutions
Here are a few issues that may prevent your plant from growing firecracker flowers. Check out the below section to know more about the problems and solutions.
- Pests and Disease: The good news is that Crossandra plants usually do not have any disease or pest issues. But, sometimes, their growth can be stunted due to mites, aphids, and mealybugs. Now, the question is, how to know your plant has pest problems? Here is the sign, you may look for – webs on your plants. Treat your plant as soon as possible in order to prevent the infestations from spreading further.
- Curled Leaves: Curled leaves usually happen due to direct sunlight. Confused? Well, let us explain it properly. When you place your plant in direct sunlight, there are chances that its leaves will be curled.
- Not Growing Well: Is the growth of your plant stunted? Do the leaves start dropping? Well, the reason why its growth is stagnant can be the sudden drop in temperature. So, make sure that you maintain proper temperature and humidity to let your Crossandra plant grow well.
Bright Orange, Pink, Yellow and Red Firecracker Flowers to Beautify Your Home
Crossandra, a tropical subshrub, can bloom throughout the year in the right conditions. Maintain proper temperature and humidity and see how it grows colorful yellow, orange, pink and red flowers. Also, they can make great indoor plants with their lush green foliage.
To give a touch of beauty to your home, just place planters with colorful firecracker flowers in the sitting areas and see how they make your rooms feel more welcoming. This could be a great way to improve your home aesthetics. So, what do you think? Are you going to try it? Well, just grow a Crossandra plant in your house and see how it brings positive energy to your place.
