Funny story about this firebush (aka Hamelia Patens, hummingbird bush, scarlet bush, and redhead). After a hurricane that destroyed my first nursery back in 2014, I found this solitary plant growing out of a pile of planter bags. The leaves had a red tinge and assumed it was some exotic fruit tree from the first batch of seeds I planted. Funny enough, once it started growing, I started to see it everywhere. I could only laugh when I thought about the amount of water that I carried from the spring for what is essentially a weed around here. But all things do happen for a reason. In Belize, this plant's Mayan name is Ix Canaan and is also known as "Guardian of the Forest" and it was actually the first plant to go into the ground from my nursery. Thanks to this and a few other flowers I planted in the yard, we have an abundance of hummingbirds! Hummingbirds are attracted by its flowers and other birds feed on the fruit, both of which will also forage on small insects found in the vicinity, helping to keep down pests. These flowers are also fed on by butterflies which are attracted to red flowering plants. The fruits have a refreshing, acidic taste and are also edible by humans; in Mexico, they are made into a fermented drink. #growninhaiti #haneliapatens #firebush #hummingbirdbush #scarletbush #redhead #wverythinghappensforareason #guardianoftheforest #hurricane #haiti #ayiti #nursery #reforestation #preservation #nogmos #nopesticides #noherbicides #organic #oops #balance #biodiversity #wildlife https://www.instagram.com/p/BpI48XRHvc3/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1dopjjufckqb8
