Red Fairy Duster – Desert Horizon Nursery

Red Fairy Duster

Calliandra californica
Categories:
Shrubs  ·  
Desert Shrubs
Light
Full sun
Water
Low water once established. Water deeply, then let soil dry between irrigations; occasional supplemental summer watering improves flowering in Phoenix. Water new plants more regularly while roots establish.
Size
4-6 ft tall × 4-6 ft wide
Habit
Mounded – spreading shrub
Toxicity
Not Established
Description
Red fairy duster (Calliandra californica) is a heat-loving shrub native to Baja California, with fine-textured foliage and bright red, powder-puff flowers.
Bloom Time
Spring through fall
Deciduous / Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Special Features
Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Drought Tolerant, Heat Tolerant
Growth Rate
Moderate
Growth Habit
Mounded – spreading shrub
Mature Size
4-6 ft tall × 4-6 ft wide
Flower Color
Red
Foliage Color
Green
Landscape Use
Border / Bed, Container / Patio, Foundation Planting, Hedge / Screen, Pollinator / Wildlife Garden, Specimen / Accent
Garden Style
Arizona Native, Desert / Xeriscape, Hedge / Formal, Pollinator / Wildlife
Soil
Alkaline Tolerant, Sandy / Rocky, Well-Drained
Companion Plants
Brittlebush, Chuparosa, Desert lavender, Desert marigold, Parry's agave, Red yucca
Not Established
Not established — verify
Care Instructions

Light: Full sun for best flowering; tolerates light shade.

Water: Low water once established. Water deeply, then let soil dry between irrigations; occasional supplemental summer watering improves flowering in Phoenix. Water new plants more regularly while roots establish.

Soil: Well-drained sandy, gravelly, or loamy soil; tolerates alkaline desert soils. Avoid persistently wet soil.

Mature size: Typically 4–6 feet tall and wide; occasionally larger with favorable conditions and regular irrigation.

Bloom: Flowers intermittently throughout the year in warm conditions, with strongest bloom from spring through fall; cold weather reduces flowering.

Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen in mild winters; may lose leaves or experience stem dieback during freezes.

Growth rate: Moderate; faster with warmth and supplemental irrigation.