Plant Name
Scientific Name: Calliandra eriophylla
Common Names: Fairyduster, Fairy Duster
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Shrub, Subshrub
Arizona Native Status: Native
Habitat: Desert, Upland
Flower Color: Pink, Pinkish white
Flowering Season: Spring, Summer, Fall. It blooms mainly in the spring and then variably throughout the year after any rains.
Height: 1 to 4 feet (30 to 122 cm) tall
Description: The rounded, puffball flower heads are 2 inches (5 cm) in diameter and contain several clusters of flowers with long, slender stamens. Although usually straight, the long stamens are sometimes twisted and curly. The flowers are followed by curled, brown seed pods. The leaves are green and bipinnate with tiny leaflets.
Special Characteristics
Butterfly Plant – The flowers attract large butterflies like Swallowtails (Family Papilionidae).
Hummingbird Flower – The nectar-filled flowers attract hummingbirds.
Classification
Kingdom: Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Rosidae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae – Pea family
Genus: Calliandra Benth. – stickpea
Species: Calliandra eriophylla Benth. – fairyduster
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