Calliandra haematocephala seed
LATIN NAME: Calliandra haematocephala
COMMON NAME: Red Powderpuff
The red powderpuff is the showy, tropical shrub of the warm gardens, and its round, fluffy, deep-red heads of the many fine stamens are one of the boldest sights of the warm season. The fine, feathery, dark-green leaves give the bush a soft, delicate look, and the crimson powderpuff heads open in flushes from the late winter to the summer. The rounded heads look like the brushes used to dust the furniture, which is how the plant got its common name. It is a fine, generous shrub for the warm, sunny border and the large pot.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The powderpuff has a quiet but real presence in the plant science. The many fine stamens that make up the round heads are a fine subject for the study of the flower structure and the pollination, and the plant keeps showing up in the work on the warm-climate ornamentals and the pollinator plants. The legume family connection and the nitrogen-fixing roots have also drawn a line of the ecological research, since the plant helps to feed the soil it grows in. The breeding of the different flower colours is documented in the horticultural journals, so the growing methods are reliable.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
The red powderpuff is grown for the looks, and it is a fine, bold shrub for the warm gardens, the public plantings and the large pots. The round, nectar-rich heads pull in the hummingbirds, the bees and the butterflies, and the fine, feathery foliage gives the border a soft texture. As a member of the legume family, the shrub also helps to build the nitrogen in the soil, so it is a useful plant for the warm mixed borders. It has been written up in the horticultural papers for its bold flowers and its ease, and it asks for the sun and the well-drained soil.
The red powderpuff comes from the warm forests of the South America, and it has been carried around the warm world as one of the boldest of the flowering shrubs. The round, fluffy heads of the fine stamens open in flushes through the year, and the breeding has added the pink and the white forms to the deep red of the wild plant. The fine, feathery leaves and the soft texture of the bush give it a delicate look that sets off the bold flowers, and it grows well in the warm garden and the large pot. It is a fine, generous shrub for the tropical-style planting.
To start the powderpuff from seed, scar the hard, bean-like seeds lightly with a file, then soak them in warm water for a day before sowing them at a shallow depth in pots of moist, free-draining soil. Keep the pots in a warm, bright, sheltered spot and water gently. The seedlings come up within a few weeks and grow on into strong young shrubs that will flower in a couple of years. A warm, sunny, sheltered spot is all they ask.
Calliandra is a large genus of tropical plants that consists of about 200 species of small trees and evergreen, flowering shrubs. Calliandra haematocephala, commonly known as the Powder Puff Tree, is native to South America.
Powder Puffs grow up to 10 feet tall with an equal spread, but dwarf, 3-6 foot varieties are also available.
Dwarf hybrids are more appropriate in colder regions where you will need to over-winter your plant indoors.
Powder Puff Trees are primarily fall and winter blooming plants, especially in warmer climates, but they may bloom sporadically throughout the year if they are happy. They have bipinnately compound, 2″ leaves that emerge as a flushed pink color but mature to dark green. Their oblong shaped leaves fold up to ‘sleep’ at night.
In the fall and winter, your Powder Puff tree will produce lots of slightly fragrant, showy, 3″ spherical flower heads consisting of hundreds of red, pink or white stamens that are attractive to both butterflies and hummingbirds.