[John]

The typical red form of this weeping shrub is common throughout the Med. There are various colour variations including yellow, orange and peach and the white form Russelia equisetiformis 'Alba' which I think is rather distinct:

[Alisdair]

The ordinary red form of Russelia equisetiformis is a really cheerful plant for mediterranean gardens, giving a bright splash of colour over a very long period - though the foliage can get a bit unkempt, as rainy weather brings vigorous new shoots on in rather a disorganised way. This picture was taken in our Greek garden one November, but for us the shrub flowers almost continuously from October through to May, and in a dampish April can be so covered with flowers that you scarcely see the foliage.

[pamela]

I have two R. equisetiformis 'alba'  They are the palest cream colour and occasionally they produce a red flowered 'sport' (please correct terminology if I am wrong) amongst the white blooms.  Its strange to see.

[John]

To me that implies that the white form may have been a sport off the normal form originally. Though this is just a guess.

[ezeiza]

Have you tried a big tall container? In it the weeping habit can be used to advantage.

[MikeHardman]

...or a in big hanging basket  

[Daisy]

 
Thanks Mike and everybody.
You have all given me a brilliant idea!
When I moved from England, one of the many things I bought with me, was an old ornamental hay rack.
I came under the heading, of those things I had to bring, but didn't know what I was going to do with them when I arrived. Be honest, we all have some of those!
My house is painted a pale cream colour. A red Russelia equisetiformus would look brilliant planted in the hay rack against the pale coloured house.
Daisy

[Umbrian]

I first saw this beautiful plant,with red flowers, several years ago when on an MGS trip to Sicily. It was growing in a large, tall terracotta pot and looked stunning. I was lucky enough to find one in a vivaio close to me last year and it performed well, flowering all summer. Unfortunately I did not give it sufficient winter protection and we had some pretty low temperatures last winter. In the spring it looked as if I had lost it because only one small piece had any signs of life. I nurtured it carefully however and slowly it began to recover and the original "live" piece produced one flower! Now it has made a lot of healthy new growth and produced more flowers although still not up to its original size. It certainly is a survivor and I shall take steps to give it better protection this year. Perhaps it would be better to bring it into the house in a light but unheated room? Last year I moved it into a sheltered position,under cover on the south side of the house and with fleece around the pot but obviously this was hardly sufficient.

[ezeiza]

It is winter cold and damp that wipes it out. If kept quite dry in winter (as in its native habitat) more chances for survival. It comes from a hot frost free habitat.

If you take it indoors and gets accostumed to the low levels of light when exposed to the sun the whole plant will be burnt.

[Umbrian]

My original Russelia that only just survived its first winter is stunning this year. Last winter I did move it into the house but gave it a bright position on a south facing windowsill in an unheated room. It was slow to come into flower once moved back outside, probably because we had a very variable and quite cold spring. Now the heat has set in though it has suddenly grown and blossomed beautifully. Well worth the mollycoddling because, as Alisdair says ,it is a continuous splash of colour throughout the summer. Once the cold spring went we were plunged into very high temperatures such as we only usually experience in August and many things are suffering as a consequence but the Russelia seems to thrive on it.