Anisacanthus quadrifidus
Family: Acanthaceae
Plant Description: An upright, spreading shrub, with small, lance-shaped leaves. Produces orange, tubular, two-lipped flowers. The fruit is a black capsule with black seeds.
Plant Trivia: The species epithet quadrifidus refers to the flower’s four-part symmetry, while wrightii honors botanist Charles Wright.
Field Identification: Striking orange, tubular flower forming an open star at open end.
Occurrence: In the wild, it thrives on rocky, calcareous slopes, floodplains, xerophytic scrub, and pinyon forests, at elevations from 1,500 to 2,450 meters. It is adaptable to a wide range of soils, including poor, rocky, clay, and heavy soils, and tolerates drought exceptionally well. While it prefers full sun, it can also grow in partial shade. In colder climates, the plant may die back to the roots in winter and reemerge in spring
Bloom Period: Spring-Fall
Plant Use: Suitable for xeriscaping, rock gardens, mixed borders, containers, and informal hedges. Attractive to most pollinators.
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