Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Chuparosa - Orange
Orange Chuparosa is the orange-flowered form of chuparosa, the hummingbird shrub that grows wild on rocky slopes from the Phoenix area south into Mexico. Its tubular flowers come in a warm orange, sitting between the usual red and the rarer yellow, and they bloom heaviest from winter into spring. The arching gray-green stems form a loose, rounded mound in full sun. It handles reflected heat on very little water once rooted.
Best for: winter hummingbird gardens, mixing with red and yellow chuparosa, hot walls with reflected heat, and informal native hedges.
Chuparosa comes in red, orange and yellow, and all three share the same size and care. Plant orange with red or yellow about 3 to 4 feet apart for a bed of mixed warm colors that blooms at the same time.
The big bloom runs from winter into spring, and the name is Spanish for hummingbird. Put it where you can see it from a window, since hummingbirds work the flowers through the cool months.
It takes full sun and the heat bouncing off walls and paving. Once rooted, a deep soak about twice a month carries it through summer.
In shade it grows leggy and blooms less. Long freezes near 26°F can damage the stems, and it drops leaves in drought or hard cold. It needs 4 to 6 feet of room, or it ends up cut back hard.
- Group or informal hedge3 ft apart
- Open planting with room to spread4 ft apart
Water every 3 to 4 days for the first two weeks and every 5 to 7 days in weeks three and four. By weeks seven and eight, water about every 10 to 14 days.
Water deeply about twice a month in summer and monthly the rest of the year. A little more water gives more leaves and flowers.
Cut off frost damage in early spring. If it gets leggy, trim lightly in late spring after the main bloom.
Plant it in full sun for the most flowers and a tighter shape. It handles reflected heat off walls and paving.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
Is orange chuparosa a different plant from red chuparosa?
No. It is the same native species, Justicia californica, with orange flowers instead of red. Plant, water and prune it the same way.
How common is orange chuparosa?
Red is the usual color, and orange or yellow plants show up less often. That makes orange a less common choice for a native bed.
When does chuparosa bloom?
The heaviest bloom runs from winter into spring, and flowers can appear in other months too. Drought or a freeze pauses the bloom, and regular water brings it back.
Do hummingbirds like orange chuparosa?
Yes. Chuparosa means hummingbird in Spanish, and the tubular flowers are a main nectar plant for them. Hummingbirds follow its bloom as they move through the desert.
How big does it get?
It grows about 3 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 6 feet wide in a rounded, sprawling mound. Plant it where it has that room so you never need to cut it back hard.
How far apart should I plant chuparosa?
Plant about 3 to 4 feet apart, center to center. Use 3 feet for a group or informal hedge and 4 feet where each plant can spread, and the Spacing tab counts plants for you.
How often should I water it?
Water a new plant every 3 to 4 days for two weeks, then stretch it out to every 10 to 14 days by the second month. Once rooted, water about twice a month in summer and monthly the rest of the year.
Can it take reflected heat?
Yes. It does best in full sun and takes reflected heat off walls. In shade it gets leggy and flowers less, so give it a sunny spot.
Why does it lose its leaves?
It drops leaves in drought and after hard cold, then grows them back. The gray-green stems stay, and more regular water keeps it fuller.
How cold hardy is chuparosa?
Quick dips into the low 20s are fine, but long freezes near 26°F can damage it. Trim off the damaged tips in early spring.
How do I prune chuparosa?
Remove frost damage in early spring, then trim lightly in late spring if it gets leggy. Give it room at planting so it does not need hard cutting.
Do rabbits eat chuparosa?
Rabbits tend to leave it alone. It is listed as rabbit resistant, which helps in yards where rabbits are common.
Chuparosa - Orange for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Orange Chuparosa is an orange-flowered form of Justicia californica, the native shrub hummingbirds follow through the desert. Below is how it compares with the red and yellow forms, plus bloom season, size, spacing, watering, cold and pruning for a Valley yard.
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Orange chuparosa for Phoenix yards
Orange chuparosa is a native hummingbird shrub with warm orange tubular flowers on gray-green stems. It grows wild on rocky slopes from the Phoenix area south into Mexico.
Red, orange and yellow chuparosa
All three are the same species with the same size and care. Red is the usual color, while orange and yellow plants are less common.
When does orange chuparosa bloom?
The main bloom runs from winter into spring, with some flowers in other months. Drought and freezes pause it.
How far apart do you plant chuparosa?
Plant about 3 to 4 feet apart, center to center. It spreads 4 to 6 feet wide, so 3 feet gives a fuller group. The Spacing tab counts plants for you.
How often do you water chuparosa in summer?
Once rooted, water deeply about twice a month in summer and monthly the rest of the year. New plants need water every few days at first.
Is chuparosa a hummingbird plant?
Yes. Its name is Spanish for hummingbird, and hummingbirds follow its bloom on their way through the desert. The main bloom comes in winter and spring.
Is chuparosa cold hardy in the Valley?
It handles quick dips into the low 20s. Long freezes near 26°F can damage it, and you can trim the damage in early spring.
We deliver across the Valley, from Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa out to San Tan Valley, Maricopa and Casa Grande, and up to Prescott, Sedona, Payson and Globe. See delivery areas and rates.