Japanese name: カリアンドラ トウィーディー Scientific name:Calliandra tweedii
[Overview]
An evergreen shrub 2–5 m tall.
The branches extend sideways and have no thorns.
The leaves are alternate and bipinnately compound, 10–15 cm long, consisting of 3–7 pairs of pinnae, each pinna bearing 15–20 pairs of leaflets.
The leaflets are narrowly oblong and overlap one another.
The flowers are borne in large numbers in spherical flower heads 6–9 cm across that emerge from the leaf axils, and the many long stamens are conspicuous.
The stamens are red.
The fruit is a flat legume with thickened margins.
[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by cuttings.
It prefers fertile, sunny, well-drained soil.
It is not very cold-hardy, so bring it indoors to a sunny spot in winter.
From spring to autumn, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries, and keep it on the dry side in winter.
In spring, apply organic fertilizer or slow-release fertilizer placed on the soil.
Pests include spider mites and scale insects.
