Caliente Fire Geranium (Pelargonium 'Caliente Fire')
pel-ar-GO-nee-um 'Caliente Fire'

Deciduous Perennial (usually grown as an annual near you) Mounded, Semi-Trailing in the Geraniaceae Family
A vigorous, mounding Caliente™ series geranium bred from a zonal x ivy-type cross for extra heat tolerance and season-long fire-engine-red blooms in containers, baskets, and beds.

Caliente™ Fire is part of the Caliente series of interspecific geraniums (US Plant Patent 20,482), bred from a cross of zonal (Pelargonium x hortorum) and the trailing species P. tongaense by Goldsmith Seeds (now part of Syngenta Flowers). The cross combines the bushy, floriferous habit of zonal geraniums with extra vigor and heat tolerance from its trailing parent, giving a mounding, semi-trailing plant that performs well in both containers and garden beds. Clusters of lightly-scented, bright red flowers appear from late spring through early fall.

Pros

  • More heat- and rain-tolerant than old-fashioned seed geraniums
  • Mounding, semi-trailing habit works well in both containers and beds
  • Long, continuous bloom season from late spring through early fall

Cons

  • Needs regular deadheading to keep blooming well
  • Not cold-hardy; must be treated as an annual or brought indoors before frost
  • Can decline in prolonged wet, poorly-drained conditions
This plant is probably not winter-hardy outdoors where you live.
 

Plant Data

Mature Size 16 - 20 inches tall. 12 - 16 inches wide.
Sun Exposure Partial Shade - Full Sun
Moisture Tolerance Medium
Zones 9b - 11b (Usually hardy to 25° F)
Tags Annual in Chicago, Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Attracts Pollinators, Attracts Wildlife, Deciduous, Deer Resistant, Filler, Full Sun, Good for Beginners, Medium, Partial Shade, Partial Sun, Perennial, Potentially Toxic, Rabbit Resistant, Repels Unwanted Insects, Showy Flowers, Tender Perennial
Bloom Period Late Spring - Early Fall
Flower Color Red
Foliage Color Green

Photos of This with...

Caliente Pink Geranium, Presto Pink Sizzle Zonal Geranium,
 
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Pricing and Availability History

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Past Availability
2025 : 02/05 - 07/12
2024 : 02/08 - 08/24
2023 : 03/02 - 06/04

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Field-Grown vs. Greenhouse-Grown Plants

Plants which are well-adapted to our local climate are most often field-grown (outside). Field-grown plants are generally cheaper and have the advantage of already somewhat acclimated to our cold winters, but that means they’re not artificially far along in the spring and tend to bloom at the normal time in our area.

Spring annuals and tender perennials are typically grown in Greenhouses so they can be ready and luxurious exactly when customers want them. Some perennials are also “forced” into early bloom in greenhouses. In May, there can be a very big difference between field-grown and greenhouse-grown plants of the same type. The latter typically look good right away (so they’re a great choice where that’s important), but we typically pay a premium for it.


Estimated Recipe Cost

The cost of this recipe's ingredients will vary depending on the season and the sizes and varieties you select.


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No Pricing or Availability Right Now

We order from a rotating cast of the best nurseries in the Great Lakes region. It looks like we've offered this plant in the past, but the nurseries we're working with this week don't appear to have it in stock at the moment.

Our goal is to bring as many plants together under "one roof" as possible, so we'll try hard to make it available again in the future!