Russelia Equisetiformis Companion Plants

Elephant Ears

• The huge, heart-shaped leaves of elephant ears (Colocasia esculenta) make a bold contrast against firecracker plant's fine texture. Elephant ears grow well in full sun or light shade and reach two to six feet in height and spread, depending on cultivar. Black Magic has black leaves and stems, Fontanesia has dark purple stems and Rubra has bright red stems. The cultivar Illustris has purple stems and spotted leaves. Hardiness depends on cultivar but most elephant ears can winter outside in zones 8 through 11.

Fringe Flower

• Native to Japan and southeast Asia, the fringe flower shrub (Lorapetalum chinense) is an evergreen shrub with white, spidery flowers that give the shrub its common name. There are several new cultivars available with pink flowers and reddish leaves. Lorapetalum rapidly grows into a 6- to 12-foot, rounded specimen. A sun lover, it grows well in moist soil although established plants are drought-tolerant and need supplemental watering only during extended dry spells. Fringe flower is hardy as far north as zone 7b.

Mondo Grass

• Also known as monkey grass, mondo grass (Ophiopogon japonicus) is an evergreen, grassy ground cover hardy to zone 7. The plant grows best in dappled sun and moist, well-drained soil, although variegated cultivars such as Aureovariegatus and Vittatus may revert to all-green without enough direct sunlight. Black mondo grass (O. planiscapus) is a related species with purple leaves so dark they appear black; it's a dwarf, never growing more than six inches tall. All types of mondo grass make a fine background to highlight firecracker plant's bright flowers.

Other Plants to Consider

• Many of the perennial geraniums or cranesbills thrive in the same sunny, well-drained soil that the firecracker plant prefers. At the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, they pair R. equisetiformis with the Madeira Island geranium (Geranium maderense), a large cranesbill with palm-like leaves and bright pink flowers. Canna lilies (Canna hybrids) make a strong vertical contrast to firecracker plant's arching habit, while the Corsican hellebore (Helleborus arguifolius) has pale green leaves and flowers that highlight the shrub's bright red blooms.