Hamelia patens, aka Mexican firebush or Hummingbird bush, can be found from Florida all the way down to Argentina and is in the same family as the coffee plant (Rubiaceae). The bright,non-stop summer bloom is is an eye-catcher that draws both butterflies and birds...including hummingbirds. In the areas where it's native, it's also considered a useful plant. The berries are edible, and a tea is made from the leaves for medicinal purposes.

It needs full sun to partial shade and low to moderate moisture conditions to reach a height of four to five feet. Since it's a tropical, in most parts of the country we'll have to grow it in containers we can bring in for the winter.