Hamelia patens

firebush

Firebush fruits are edible raw, but I can attest from personal experience that they are not particularly tasty and definitely on the astringent side. There are records of the fruit being made into a drink, but I’m not sure this would make it any tastier...maybe with a good helping of sugar!

The most common medicinal use for this plant in the Caribbean is as a treatment for skin conditions such as sores, burns, cuts, scabies, and insect bites. Two handfuls of plant parts are gathered and boiled in two gallons of water for about ten minutes before washing the affected area with the resulting liquid. Laboratory studies seem to support these uses, as the plant showed significant anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.

In South American indigenous societies, tea made from the leaves is used to treat fevers and kill intestinal parasites, and leaves are chewed to prevent heat exhaustion. Due to the high tannin content in the plant, it is effective against dysentery when ingested. Tannins also make the plant useful in tanning leather; leaves and stems have been crushed and used industrially for this purpose.

The floral display on this plant is one of the prettiest I have seen on any plant, and the flowers attract butterflies and hummingbirds to boot! A nice variety of birds also flock to the plant for its fruits. The plant’s preference for forest edge habitats in combination with its profusion of flame-colored flowers may be reasons Mayans referred to the plant as “Ix-canaan,” which means “guardian of the forest.” Here's a great video of a hummingbird visiting the flowers:

Firebush can grow up to about 15 ft. tall but is easy to keep shorter; it may even be used as a hedge. It is a great choice for landscapes because it attracts a variety of wildlife with its flowers and fruits, and also blooms almost continually. It does best in full sun to part shade and can handle the annual drought periods experienced here in the Keys quite well. If planted in Zones 8-9, it can still be used in the landscape as a dieback perennial.