Plant Profile Sheet/ Recognise Plants

Family: Fabaceae subfamily Mimosoideae

Botanical Name: Calliandra tweedii

man alluding to the beautiful male parts of the flower)

(from Kalos = beautiful, aner=

Common Name/s: Powder Puff flower, Brazilian Flame Bush Number of species: Tree or shrub etc Evergreen or Deciduous etc Growth Habit Dimensions at Maturity Shape Country of origin: Tropical Brazil Large Shrub Evergreen Height x Width to 2mtrs x 3mtrs Spreading broad ground cover Shape Arrangement Margin Entire to finely hairy Leaves Colour /Other Dark green above paler beneath, stipules present Colour/Other Bright red Drawing/Photo

Type

Perfume nil Flowers

Shape Staminate, with 5 lobed calyx

inflorescence Globose head, axillary

Season/months Sept to April

Culture Uses Climate and Aspect Soils Maintenance Propagation

Fruit

Flat legume pod 4 to 6 cm covered by thick brownish hair, seeds brown, pod explodes on ripening in autumn and winter Borders, bird attracting, slopes, rockeries Full sun, not tolerant of frost

Acid soil, best flower when nutrition is low Prune late winter after frosts, control, long leggy growth and tidy Fresh seed as soon as ripe, cuttings early autumn to late winter, short laterals best

Written Notes: