Red Powderpuff
Big crimson puffs the hummingbirds can't leave alone, blooming through the cool months when gardens need it most.
Big scarlet powderpuffs that bloom when everything else is quitting.
Why it works here
The flowers are round scarlet puffs, and that fluff is actually a cluster of stamens, the pollen threads, not petals. It blooms heaviest in fall and winter, so it carries color through our cooler months when a lot of the garden goes quiet. Hummingbirds and butterflies pile onto it, and the new leaves come out a coppery pink before turning green, so there are two shows going at once.
Care
Water deeply while it establishes, then it gets by on our rain most of the year with a soak in droughts. Feed it with compost and a balanced organic fertilizer in spring, and mulch out to the drip line. It is a fast, loose grower, so prune after the main winter bloom to keep it in bounds and to build a stronger branch structure. You can run it as a big shrub, limb it up into a small multi-trunk tree, or even espalier it against a wall.
Common problems
Gets big and rangy: expected. Prune yearly and do not plant it where you only have room for a small shrub.
Cold burn in a hard freeze: it usually recovers from the roots or lower wood, so wait to prune damage until spring.
Chewing caterpillars now and then: usually cosmetic. Hand pick if you see them, and let birds and wasps do the rest.
Common questions
Is it the same as the dwarf powderpuff groundcover?
No. That low, spreading one is Calliandra haematocephala's smaller cousin. This is the tall shrub or small tree version with the big scarlet puffs.
When will it flower?
Mostly fall into winter, which is the best part. You get color when much of the yard is resting.
Can I keep it small?
Yes, with regular pruning you can hold it at head height. Just know you are fighting its natural size, so plan on cutting it back every year.
Interested in a red powderpuff in your landscape?
We plan, install, and care for it. Start with a paid consultation.