Calliandra haematocephala (Red Powder Puff, Powder Puff Tree, Powder Puff Bush, Stickpea, Flor de la Cruz)
Botanical Information
| Family | Fabaceae |
| Genus | Calliandra |
| Species | haematocephala |
| Category | Tropicals |
| Type | Tree (evergreen), Shrub (evergreen) |
| Origin | South America. |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Zone | 9 - 11 |
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone | Requires cold season protection under glass. |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Zone | H1b |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | 10 - 15 |
| Temperature (°F) | 14 - 50 |
| Height | 0.9 - 1.8 m |
| Spread | 0.6 - 0.9 m |
| Growth | Medium |
| Flowering Period | July |
Description and Growing Information
| Landscape | Used as a container or houseplant in temperate gardens or as a specimen plant in tropical landscapes. |
| Cultivation | Best grown in moist, fertile soil, in full sun and high humidity. Tolerant of somewhat poor soil but should be kept consistently moist. |
| Pests | Caterpillars, spider mites and aphids. |
| Notable Specimens | Centennial Conservatory, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Flower buds resemble raspberries. |
| Leaf Description | Bipinnate, compound leaves, which have 5-10 pairs of leaflets per pinna, with fine, short hairs on the veins. |
| Flower Description | Hemispherical, up to 7.6 cm in diameter. The many stamens of each flower give it an appearance similar to a powder puff. |
| Fruit Description | 6 - 10, narrowly oval-shaped, tapering to a point at each end. |
| Colour Description | Leaves open copper-pink and mature to dark green. Flower and stamens are both bright red, but white and red forms exist as well. |
Photographs
Calliandra haematocephala, Form
Calliandra haematocephala, Leaf
Calliandra haematocephala, Flower
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