The powder puff tree is a subtropical shrub that stops gardeners in their tracks when it blooms. Native to Bolivia, this evergreen member of the mimosa family produces striking red flowers with feathery stamens that genuinely resemble powder puffs, earning its charming common name. Growing 3 to 6 feet tall in most settings, it thrives in zones 9-11 and adapts well to container culture for gardeners in colder regions. The bipinnately compound foliage opens in coppery-pink tones before maturing to a deep green, creating visual interest even between blooms. This is a plant that rewards consistent moisture and full sun with reliable, showy seasonal flowering.
Full Sun
Moderate
9-11
72in H x 36in W
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High
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Red flowers with distinctive feathery stamens that bloom seasonally create one of the most eye-catching displays in warm-climate gardens. The foliage opens copper-pink and transitions to dark green, offering multi-season visual appeal. Unlike many tropical shrubs, powder puff tolerates a range of soil conditions, including poor ones, making it surprisingly forgiving for gardeners learning to work with tropical plants. It's evergreen and suited to container culture in cooler zones, where it can be moved indoors during winter.
Powder puff tree serves exclusively as an ornamental, valued for its dramatic red flower displays in tropical and subtropical gardens. In frost-prone regions, gardeners cultivate it in containers that move indoors during winter, making it a showpiece for bright sunrooms and conservatories. The evergreen foliage and seasonal blooming pattern provide consistent visual interest in landscape plantings.
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Sow seeds indoors in warmth; germination occurs at soil temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Start seeds 6 to 8 weeks before your region's last spring frost to give seedlings time to develop. Transplant into larger containers as they grow, maintaining warm conditions until they are ready to harden off.
Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days once all frost danger has passed and nighttime temperatures remain above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Space plants 24 to 36 inches apart to accommodate mature width. In zones 9-11, transplant into moist, fertile soil in a location with full sun and good air circulation.
Powder puff responds well to pruning after blooming ends; this timing encourages fresh growth and more flower buds for the next season. Remove any dead or damaged branches as you notice them. Light shaping keeps the plant compact and encourages a fuller form, though it naturally develops an attractive shrubby habit.
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“Calliandra haematocephala hails from the cloud forests of Bolivia, where it grows as a natural understorey shrub. For decades, botanists classified it within the legume family (Fabaceae) based on its compound leaves and growth structure. Recent taxonomic revision shifted it into the mimosa family, recognizing its closer botanical kinship with other Calliandra species. It became a popular ornamental in central and southern Florida, where the subtropical climate allows year-round outdoor cultivation. Beyond the tropics, gardeners adopted container growing methods to enjoy this distinctive tropical flowering shrub in temperate regions.”