How Tall Does a Hummingbird Bush Grow?

Size

• The hummingbird bush has a potential height of 10 to 15 feet when growing in its natural range. However, the shrub usually grows 5 to 8 feet tall in cultivation. The shrub responds well to cutting and may be grown as a 3- to 4-foot-tall hedge. Regular pruning is however not recommended as it tends to lower the aesthetic quality of the plant by destroying the blooms that appear constantly throughout the blooming period.

Foliage

• The semi-woody shrub has elliptical or oval, 6-inch-long, dark green leaves with red petioles and veins. The whorled foliage undersides are pubescent and gray. There are three to seven leaves growing from each node. The shrub grows as an annual in areas with temperate weather. The foliage on annuals assumes a dark red color during fall.

Flowers

• The red or yellow flowers of the hummingbird bush are its main features, blooming continually from summer and well into the first frost. The flowers grow in the form of showy clusters of 1-inch-long, tubular flowers on stems that are the same color as the flowers. The flowers are followed by small, berry-like, juicy fruit that grows in stages, changing multiple colors before turning black.

Cultural Conditions

• Plant the shrub in areas of full to partial sun for best growth. Avoid planting in shade as the plant gets leggy in low light. Plant in a well-drained soil and water frequently, though established plants have a good level of tolerance for drought. Hummingbird bush has rapid growth rate and is hardy in USDA zones 8 to 11. In zones 8 and 9, the plant dies in winter, resprouting again in spring. Use seed or softwood cuttings taken in spring for easy propagation.