Calliandra haematocephala is a small, multi-trunked shrub with slender, arching branches and foliage divided into dark green leaflets. New foliage provides visual interest, unfolding open as copper-pink. However, this species is best known for its attractive blooms- raspberry-like flower buds which develop into fluffy spheres of vibrant, scarlet-red stamens. This South American native can thrive in dry tropical and subtropical climates and is strongly tolerant to drought and coastal conditions. 

Native Range: Bolivia, southern Peru, Nicaragua, and Ecuador

Horticultural use: Specimen, Buffer Strip, Container or Espalier

Ethnobotanical Info / Tree Use: Ongoing research suggests a correlation between tea made from Pink Powderpuff bark and a decreased risk for cancer.

Tree Shape: Rounded or Vase
Foliage Type: Evergreen
Maximum Tree Height: 15 feet
Canopy Width: 6-15feet
Growth Rate: ~24-36in/year
Leaf Arrangement and Form: Alternate and Bipinnately Compound
Leaf Shape: Oval
Leaf Color: Bronze or Pink
Fall Color: No
Flowers: Showy, Fragrant
Flower Color: Pink or Red
Flower Time: Fall, Winter, Spring or Summer
Fruit Size and Color: Large Brown, Green Legume
Fruiting Time: Fall, Winter, Spring or Summer
Bark Color: Reddish, Light Brown, Light Gray
Bark Texture: Smooth and Striated

Recommended Planting Area: 2′ to 4′
Water Use Rating: Medium
Sunset Climate Zone: 22 – 24, H1 and H2
Soil Texture: Loam or Sand
Soil pH: Acidic to Slightly Alkaline
Salt Tolerance: Moderate
Schoolyard Trees: No
Shade Tolerance: No

Root Damage Potential: Low
Biogenic Emissions: Moderate
Wildlife Interactions: Attracts Butterflies and Hummingbirds
Disease and Pest Susceptibility: Mites and Caterpillars
Utility Friendly: Yes