Each winter, the bright yellow buds of fiery spike (Aphelandra aurantiaca) open to bright red blooms from the bottom of each flower spike to the top, giving the flower the appearance of bursting into flame above deep green, glossy foliage with a silvery sheen. A native to Mexico and South America, this tropical gem can grow to 2 to 4 feet in height, but when grown in a container as a houseplant, it will only reach a third of that size.