Identification of Red Tubular Flower

Vines

• Red-flowering vines climb to cover walls, fences or other structures. The cross vine or trumpet flower (Bignonia capreolata) blooms with 2-inch, red-orange, trumpet-shaped flowers in midspring. These aromatic blooms attract bees and hummingbirds. The cross vine grows from 30 to 50 feet long and climbs by twining. It has evergreen to semievergreen foliage. The Chinese trumpet creeper (Campsis grandiflora) has red, tube-shaped flowers and blooms from summer through late fall. This vine grows quickly from 13 to 20 feet long and coarse, deciduous foliage. It climbs by twining and with aerial rootlets.

Perennials

• Perennials live for at least 2 years. The lipstick plant (Aeschynanthus adicans and pulcher) produces red, tube-shaped flowers that resemble tubes of lipstick through spring and summer. These perennials grow well in hanging baskets or other containers. Grow them outdoors in warm climates and indoors in cooler regions. They have glossy green foliage and grow in a trailing form. The firespike (Odontonema strictum) blooms in fall and winter with spikes of bright-red, tube-shaped flowers. This perennial grows to 4 feet tall and has dark-green, 7 to 8 inch long leaves. Firespikes self-seed easily and bloom most profusely in full sun exposures.

Trees

• Trees offer nesting sites and food to hummingbirds and other pollinators.

  Trees offer nesting sites and food to hummingbirds and other pollinators. The red or scarlet buckeye (Aesculus pavia) produces red, tube-shaped flowers atop 6-inch panicles in spring. This deciduous tree grows from 10 to 20 feet tall with a 20-foot spread. It has 3 to 6 inch wide, compound foliage with five to seven, dark-green leaflets. This native North American tree attracts hummingbirds and bees. The cockspur coral tree (Erythrina crista-galli) produces large, tube-shaped red flowers from spring through fall that attract perching, pollinating birds. This small deciduous tree grows from 15 to 20 feet tall with a similar spread. It has pinnately compound, dark-green foliage and produce dry seedpods.

Shrubs

• Red-flowering shrubs also provide habitat and nectar for pollinators. The cigar flower (Cuphea ignea) blooms with red, tube-shaped flowers year-round. This shrub grows to 3 feet tall with a similar spread and has a compact, rounded form. It has small, evergreen foliage and produces tiny, brown fruits. Cigar flowers produce stems from the base of their trunks. The coral bean or cardinal spear (Erythrina herbacea) grows from 8 to 20 feet tall and blooms with tubular, red flowers on 2 foot long racemes from the spring through early summer. This semideciduous shrub has trilobed, prickly, light- to medium-green foliage. Coral beans often grow multiple trunks. They have spiny branches and produce hanging seedpods full of bright red seeds.