Firecracker plant has slender, tubular flowers of bright red and a contrasting black band at the tip. It is a native of Mexico. Firecracker plants form a bushy shrub up to 1 foot high with an equal or greater spread. Its leaves are long and narrow. The firecracker plant likes full sun in average but well-drained soil. They are perennial in frost-free areas and can be sheared back to maintain their shapeliness. Firecrackers can be used as edging plants for borders or in rock gardens. They are also good container plants, with growth flowing over the edges of hanging baskets, window boxes, or other planters. Branches can be cut and used in flower arrangements.