Calliandra Species, Red Fairy Duster, Baja Fairy Duster, Flame Bush

Easy to grow from seed and easier to just buy an AlmostEden plant. One overwintered outside next to a fig tree I had wrapped with mulch, ...Read Morecardboard, tarps and planters turned upside down--lots of protection at the base anyway. It has a very slow start and probably won't make a huge impact because of that though. Still, it's fun to see a zone 9 plant come back in our 6/7 zone. I accidentally killed another which I put outside too soon in April. Since similar flowered "Nana" blooms more and a bit tougher, I think I will stick to that due to limited space.

Planted these shrubs in a dry bed next to our driveway. Gave them some water the first year. Haven't given them any water at all since an...Read Mored they have survived the severe drought we have had in eastern San Diego, CA. The plants have grown to hedge size (about 4ft. tall) and have blossoms year round. A perfect drought tolerant plant.

Extreme heat tolerant, extreme drought tolerant. May be damaged by temps below 28F. Will grow back from the roots after an especially ha...Read Morerd frost. Blossoms resemble tiny dusters in brilliant red. Blooms in spring and again after monsoons or other ample rains. A favorite of bees and other pollinators. This plant in full bloom is a beautiful sight.

Foliage may partially drop in prolonged drought. Fairy dusters do well with pruning and make good hedges or topiaries for desert areas. There are no spines or thorns.

May become invasive in desert environments by seeds bursting from dry pods and landing up to twenty feet from the mother plant then sprouting with the rains. Unwanted seedlings are best removed before the taproot forms and may be potted up at that time.

For seed collection cover drying pods with bags before they burst. Seed is viable for many years.

I am in Zone 7a, northern Delaware, so I have to grow this as a potted plant and bring it in during the winter. However, I have had the ...Read Moresame plant for several years and this plant does well and flowers outside all summer, so I think it is one of the easier "Southwestern" plants to grow in the East. I have mine in a sunny location and I water it weekly if it gets dry. It responds well to occasional fertilizing. I keep mine in my greenhouse shed during the winter, where it can get close to freezing in mid-winter.