Red Powder Puff Flower (Calliandra Haematocephala) In Bloom : (pix Sanjiv Shukla) Stock Photo

Red powder puff flowers (Calliandra haematocephala) are a rambling shrub or small tree with branched pinnate, silky leaves and powder-puff-like balls of conspicuous dark crimson stamens. It is a fast growing shrub that can grow tall but also spreads wide. Interesting enough its leaves close at night. Flowers are attractive to butterflies and hummingbirds but only appear from November -April. The buds before the flowers open look like raspberries.