Fairyduster, Calliandra eriophylla

About Fairyduster (Calliandra eriophylla) 30 Nurseries Carry This Plant

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Fairy Duster is a low, spreading shrub native to deserts and arid grasslands in California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Mexico.

The flowers, which appear between late winter and late spring, have dense clusters of pale to deep pink stamens and are about 2 inches wide. As with many other desert trees and shrubs, it is a member of the Fabaceae family. It belongs to the Mimosoideae subfamily, in which the long, colorful filaments of the anthers are the most attractive part of the flower.

Although it is a desert plant, its water requirements are higher than most. It is typically found where there is some subsurface water year-round. This species should not be confused with Baja Fairy Duster (Calliandra californica), a Baja endemic with deep red flowers, which is more commonly available in the horticultural trade.

Plant Description

Plant Type

Shrub

Size

1 - 3 ft tall
3 ft wide

Form

Rounded

Growth Rate

Slow, Moderate

Dormancy

Evergreen

Fragrance

None

Flower Color

Purple, Pink

Flowering Season

Spring, Winter

Wildlife Supported

Hummingbirds, insects
Butterfly host plants

Butterflies & moths hosted ( 1 confirmed

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Merry Melipotis Melipotis jucundaMelipotis jucunda

Landscaping Information

Sun

Full Sun

Moisture

Low

Summer Irrigation

Max 3x / month once established

Nurseries

Carried by 30

Cold Tolerance

Tolerates cold to 25° F

Soil Drainage

Fast

Soil Description

Prefers sandy or decomposed granite soil. Soil PH: 6.0 - 8.0

Companion Plants

Desert Willow, California Fan Palm, Desert Lavender, Creosote Bush, Ocotillo, Jojoba, Blue Paloverde, White Bursage, Chuparosa, Barrel Cactus, Brittlebush, Indigo Bush, Apricot Mallow, Opuntia spp., numerous annual wildflowers

Propagation?

For propagating by seed: Scarify or soak in tap water 12 to 24 hours.

Natural Setting

Site Type

Sandy washes, slopes, mesas

Climate

Annual Precipitation: 3.2" - 14.4", Summer Precipitation: 0.65" - 2.15", Coldest Month: 46.8" - 64.4", Hottest Month: 73.7" - 88.0", Humidity: 3.97" - 39.92", Elevation: 304" - 3881"

Alternative Names

Common Names: Baja Fairyduster, False Mesquite, Falsemesquite

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Sources include: Wikipedia. All text shown in the "About" section of these pages is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Plant observation data provided by the participants of the California Consortia of Herbaria, Sunset information provided by Jepson Flora Project. Propogation from seed information provided by the Santa Barbara Botanical Garden from "Seed Propagation of Native California Plants" by Dara E. Emery. Sources of plant photos include CalPhotos, Wikimedia Commons, and independent plant photographers who have agreed to share their images with Calscape. Other general sources of information include Calflora, CNPS Manual of Vegetation Online, Jepson Flora Project, Las Pilitas, Theodore Payne, Tree of Life, The Xerces Society, and information provided by CNPS volunteer editors, with special thanks to Don Rideout. Climate data used in creation of plant range maps is from PRISM Climate Group, Oregon State University, using 30 year (1981-2010) annual "normals" at an 800 meter spatial resolution.

Links: Jepson eFlora Taxon Page CalPhotos Wikipedia Calflora

Fairyduster

Calliandra eriophylla

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FairydusterCalliandra eriophylla

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Fairyduster

Calliandra eriophylla