From my perspective, water is a constant negotiation. My roots despise soggy feet; they are built for well-drained, even slightly dry, conditions. When you water me, do so deeply and thoroughly, allowing life-giving moisture to reach my entire root ball. Then, and this is crucial, you must wait. Allow the top few inches of my soil to dry out completely before the next watering. I will signal my thirst with a slight wilt in my leaves – a much preferable state to the yellowing, leaf-drop, and fatal root rot that comes from overwatering. In your cooler seasons, my water needs diminish significantly. Listen to my soil, not the calendar.
I am a child of the sun, and I demand my inheritance in full. To produce the magnificent bracts of color you adore, I require a minimum of six hours of direct, unfiltered sunlight each day. More is always better. Place me in your garden's sunniest, hottest spot – against a west or south-facing wall is ideal, as it also provides me with radiant heat. Without this abundant energy, I will become leggy, stretching vainly for light, and my flowering will be pathetic and sparse. I simply cannot photosynthesize and create vibrant pigments without bathing in the sun's rays. Shade is my enemy.
To produce such a spectacular and continuous display of color is an immense effort that depletes my resources. This is where your targeted feeding becomes essential. During my active growing season (spring through early fall), I hunger for a fertilizer higher in phosphorus (the middle number on the package) than nitrogen. Nitrogen encourages leafy growth at the expense of my flowers. A balanced, slow-release formula or one labeled "bloom booster" applied every 4-6 weeks is perfect. It gives me the sustained energy I need to push out wave after wave of brilliant bracts. Please cease feeding me in late fall and winter; as I enter a period of rest, the nutrients go unused and can harm my root system.
I require a home that supports my needs. Plant me in a slightly acidic, well-draining soil mix. A standard potting mix amended with perlite, sand, or bark is perfect to prevent water retention. As for temperature, I thrive in the heat of USDA zones 9-11. I can tolerate brief dips to around 30°F, but sustained freezing temperatures are fatal. In cooler zones, I am best grown in a container that can be moved to shelter when the cold threatens. Furthermore, I flower best when there is a slight difference between day and night temperatures. Do not coddle me; a little stress often encourages me to bloom more profusely.
