Firebush is a tree, a long-term addition to the landscape. It's hardy across USDA zones 9 through 10 and grows just as well in a container as in the ground. Its spring flowers are a real draw for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds.
Firebush — the short answer
Firebush: grown in zones 9–10, full sun, pH 5.5–7.5.
- USDA zones
- 9–10
- Hardy to zone 9a — NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox.
- Soil pH
- 5.5–7.5
- Growable Ground Plant Database
- Sun
- Full Sun
- Growable Ground Plant Database
Plant data: Growable Ground Plant Database, compiled from FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS and university Extension sources — each tile names its own row's source, because per-field provenance varies.
Score Firebush on your exact land.
Zone averages can't see the slope, soil, frost, and sun that decide whether firebush actually takes — and those shift from one yard to the next. Enter your address and we'll score firebush against your land's real conditions.
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What Firebush is
Firebush grows as a perennial and reaches around 15 feet at maturity. It blooms in spring. It's also well suited to containers.
How to grow Firebush
Firebush grows in USDA zones 9 through 10. Firebush does best in full sun — at least 6 hours of direct sun a day — and soil from pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground.
USDA Zones
9-10
Rated hardy to zone 9a by NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: not verified.
Soil pH
5.5 - 7.5
Growable Ground Plant Database
Sun
Full Sun
Growable Ground plant catalog
Drainage
well (dry spells)
Growable Ground plant catalog
Mature Height
15 ft
Growable Ground plant catalog
Plant it right
Set firebush in full sun with well-drained soil.
Match the soil
Firebush prefers pH 5.5 to 7.5 (Growable Ground Plant Database). A quick soil test from your local Extension lab tells you whether to add lime or sulfur to land in band.
Water steadily
Keep the root zone evenly moist through establishment. A 2–3 inch mulch layer holds moisture without waterlogging.
Shape it while it is young
Prune firebush only to remove dead, damaged or crossing branches while it is young; it is grown for its form, not a harvest, so little more is needed once it settles in.
Where Firebush thrives
Firebush is hardy across USDA zones 9 through 10. Zone is only the starting point, though: the soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific land decide how well it actually does.
A USDA zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme winter minimum, so zones 9–10 spans average winter lows from 20°F to 40°F (USDA PHZM 2023). Across the 50 states and DC, that band covers none outright but splits 17 down the middle — and which side of that line your land sits on changes the answer.
Zones 9–10·Where Firebush growsOpen map →
This map is derived from the USDA ARS / PRISM Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023) and is not the official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.
Where Firebush stands, state by state
Firebush is rated for zones 9–10 — a cold floor USDA puts at 20 to 30°F. Across the 50 states and DC, 0 sit fully inside that band, the line runs through 17 more, and 34 sit outside it — and inside every split state, the same line runs on at county grain.
The line runs through
17 states
- Alaska · zones 1a-9a
- California · zones 4b-11a
- Nevada · zones 4a-10a
3 of 17 shown
Firebush’s band covers part of each of these states — which side of the line your county sits on changes the answer, and each state page draws it.
State zone extents: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (PHZM) 2023. A zone is a 10°F band of average annual extreme minimum temperature, so a state that splits the band contains the boundary — its own page draws the county line, and a parcel report resolves which side your land sits on.
What grows around Firebush
Growing guides for firebush
Good to know
Firebush is a standout pollinator plant — high value to bees and other pollinators. (Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.)
Your land is one point inside Firebush's range
This page resolves to the species. Your state page draws the county line, and a report reads the parcel — the soil pH, drainage, sun, and frost dates on your exact ground, which no species average can see.
See if Firebush will thrive on your land
Zone averages are a start. Your exact soil pH, drainage, sun exposure, and frost dates shape whether firebush actually takes — we score it against the real conditions at your address.
Three things about your exact spot that zone averages miss:
We read public map data for this spot — soil, climate, flood, and parcel records. How we handle your address.
25+ data sources analyzed in seconds
How we know this about Firebush
The figures above are cited per row, not per site: the pH band names this plant’s own source column, the three temperature figures each carry their own, and days-to-maturity cites the publication that actually lists it. All of it comes from the Growable Ground Plant Database — a compilation over FAO ECOCROP, USDA PLANTS, and university Extension sources, published openly with per-field provenance.
Grounded inUSDA PLANTS Database•ASPCA
Frequently asked questions
Can I grow Firebush in my zone?
Firebush grows in USDA hardiness zones 9 through 10 (Rated hardy to zone 9a by NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, checked Oct 2026. Ceiling: not verified.). Zone is one factor — soil pH, drainage, and frost dates on your specific parcel also shape whether it takes.
When should you plant Firebush?
Set firebush out in early spring or fall while it's dormant, so the roots establish before the heat of summer. Your local last-frost date — which a Growable Ground report pulls for your exact address — sets the precise window.
How much sun does Firebush need?
Firebush needs full sun — a spot that catches at least 6 hours of direct summer sun a day. In more shade it still grows, but usually gives a smaller, later crop. The catch is that a yard rarely gets even light everywhere — a fence, the house, or one tall tree can quietly take those hours. A Growable Ground report reads the real sun-hours across your land, canopy and buildings included, so you can pick the brightest bed before you plant.
What soil does Firebush need?
Firebush prefers soil pH 5.5 to 7.5, on well-drained ground (Growable Ground Plant Database). Your report scores your parcel's actual soil against that using USDA SSURGO data.
Does Firebush attract pollinators?
Yes — firebush's flowers are a strong nectar and pollen source for honeybees, native bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. (Source: Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.)
Is Firebush safe for pets?
No toxicity database we draw on publishes a rating for firebush, so we don't have one to report. Check the ASPCA Poison Control plant list before planting it where pets browse.
Keep exploring Firebush
Firebush state by state
Every state firebush's zone reaches — 1 link straight to that state's firebush growing page; the rest open the state's full growing guide.