Plant in shade to full coastal sun where it tolerates most soils. Water occasionally to regularly. This plant is typically evergreen in our coastal California climate but can be cut to the ground by a hard frost, reemerging in spring to rebound and bloom in the summer. From reports it seems root hardy to around 15 F so it can be grown as a tropical perennial that reaches to 4 feet tall in colder locations or as a summer annual anywhere. It is attractive to hummingbirds.

Odontonema callistachyum is native to Mexico and Central America. The name for the genus is from the Greek words 'odonto' meaning teeth and 'nema' meaning "thread" in reference to the stamens having toothed filaments. The specific epithet in a combination of the Latin word 'callos' or 'calli' meaning beautiful and the Greek word 'stachys' meaning a "spike" or an "ear of corn" in reference to the beautiful spikes of flowers of this species. 

The information displayed on this page about Odontonema callistachyum is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.