My camera has a hard time capturing the incredible colors of Cantua 'Hot Pants' - also called "Magic Flower".  Its intense blooms look like a cross between a Fuchsia and a Brugmansia, but it's not related to either of them.  The 4 inch long trumpet flowers unfurl gracefully, with their exquisite color combination of sunset orange and hot pink.  When lit from behind by the sun, they glow magically...   

Cantua 'Hot Pants' is an evergreen bush that grows 10 to 12 feet tall here in San Francisco, although you can prune it a lot shorter if you lack the space.  It has slender, arching branches that don't shade other plants too much.  It blooms the heaviest in spring, with some blooms appearing in summer and autumn too.  Hummingbirds love visiting them!

It grows best in mild daytime temperatures with cool nights.  I don't know how it will fare in hotter conditions.  I suspect it will tolerate warm days if nights are cool, but may not thrive if nights are warm (above 65° F / 18°C).  I don't think it can survive more than a light frost, so i recommend keeping it from freezing.  It prefers mostly sunny conditions.  Some afternoon shade might be needed in warmer climates.  Grow it in a typical well-draining soil mix.  Either keep the soil evenly moist or allow it to dry out halfway between waterings.  Over about 40% humidity is best.  Prune the stems shorter after flowering to keep the plant looking tidy.

The plant is a special hybrid between Cantua buxifolia (shown below) and Cantua cuzcoensis.  'Hot Pants' is exceptionally beautiful, with much larger flowers than Cantua buxifolia, which lacks the orange color.  Cantua buxifolia is occasionally sold as 'Hot Pants'.  I guarantee that the plants i offer look like the ones shown above!

The original species (Cantua buxifolia)

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Detailed growing tips about this plant