Calliandra calothyrsus (Red calliandra)

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Calliandra calothyrsus is a perennial thornless shrub or tree that grows 5-6m tall. It can be single or multi-stemmed with a color-varied bark about 20-30 cm in trunk diameter. 

It is easily recognizable by its bright red fluffy umbrella-like clusters of flowers which consist of showy long stamens. 

Calliandra calothyrsus Classification

  • Domain: Eukaryota
  • Kingdom: Plantae
  • Phylum: Spermatophyta
  • Subphylum: Angiospermae
  • Class: Dicotyledonae
  • Order: Fabales
  • Family: Fabaceae
  • Genus:  Calliandra
  • Species: Calliandra calothyrsus
  • Common Names: Calliandra, Red calliandra and Powderpuff. 

Nativity and Distribution

Red Calliandra is native to Mexico and Central America. Today, the tree can be found in:

  • South America
  • Africa
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Some Pacific Ocean islands

Physical Characteristics

Red calliandra has alternate leaves and brigh red umbrella-like flowers
Red calliandra has alternate leaves and bright red umbrella-like flowers. Image: inaturalist/brunodurand
  • Leaves: Bipinnately compound, alternate, consisting of 15-20 pairs of leaflets.
  • Fruits: Flat, brown, broadly linear dehiscent pods
  • Stems: Woody. Can grow 5-6m and up to 12m in optimum conditions. 
  • Flowers: Bright red umbrella-like flowers.
  • Roots: Superficial and deep-growing roots.

Calliandra calothyrsus is a perennial, often multi-stemmed thornless shrub or tree that grows 5-6m and up to 12m in optimum conditions. It is easily recognizable by its bright red fluffy umbrella-like clusters of flowers which consist of showy long stamens. 

The trunk has a diameter of 20-30 cm and is heavily branched, creating a dense canopy. Its bark is varied in color but is often white to reddish-brown. The leaves are bipinnately compound and alternate with a rachis 10-20 cm long, bearing pinnae about 4-7 cm long. The pinnae comprises linear, opposite, acute or obtuse leaflets 0.5-3mm wide and 5-10mm long.

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Red calliandra produces several clusters of bright pink to red umbrella-like flowers 4-6 cm long. The inflorescence consists of showy stamens, hence the name, “calliandra” which means “beautiful male”. 

Flowering occurs throughout the year but in some areas, it may depend on the environmental conditions. 

The seeds are flat, dark brown, and sometimes mottled about 5-7mm long. 

Reproduction, Dispersal, and Life Cycle

  • Life Cycle: Perennial.
  • Seeds: Each pod produces 3-15 seeds.
  • Climate: Tropical and subtropical climates
  • Dispersal: Explosive mechanism, water, and animals.

Calliandra calothyrsus behaves as a perennial and reproduces by seed. When the pods dry, they explosively disperse the seeds over a range of 10m. 

Secondary dispersal can also occur by water and animals like livestock. The seeds grow well up to a depth of 1-3 cm below the ground surface.

Due to its economic importance, Calliandra is also propagated as a fodder tree by stem or stump cuttings. 

Similar Plants

  • Calliandra haematocephala
  • Calliandra surinamensis
  • Leucaena diversifolia

Uses

Red calliandra is grown for its highly protein-packed fodder
Red calliandra is grown for its highly protein-packed fodder. Image: Flickr/kondakumbuta
  1. It is a valuable fodder tree, providing nutritious feed for livestock — it contains 20-25% crude protein. 
  2. It is used as a shade tree in farms, gardens, and parks.
  3. It is grown as an ornamental in gardens for its showy flowers. 
  4. Its extensive root system can help in soil stabilization, making it efficient for erosion control in degraded areas.
  5. It is a nitrogen-fixing tree used to improve soil fertility and improved crop yield. 
  6. The tree is used as a windbreaker in coffee and tea farms and hedging in rice, corn, and groundnut plantations. 
  7. The wood is used for fuel, paper production, and construction of posts, fences, and other small timber products. 
  8. It is grown as a forage plant for beekeeping and honey production.
  9. It is used in weed suppression of plants like Imperata cylindrica.
  10. The root has been used as a traditional medicine to treat different ailments like coughs, fever, and diarrhea.
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Impact on Farms and Environment

Calliandra is an important tree for its numerous benefits including nitrogen fixation, soil erosion, wind damage, and weed control, improving agricultural productivity. It is also a valuable fodder tree that helps improve animal health.

The tree’s bright inflorescence provides quality nectar for bees, supporting an economically beneficial venture like beekeeping. Its dense canopy provides a habitat for small animals, improving ecological balance. 

However, its beneficial traits like an extensive root system and nitrogen-fixing abilities can also make it invasive, outcompeting native species. Since it grows fast and spreads rapidly, it can colonize large areas quickly. 

Once it’s established, it spreads extensively and becomes hardy, making it difficult and expensive to control. 

Control

  • Mechanical control: Cutting, grazing, and pulling.
  • Herbicide control: Glyphosate

As a highly palatable shrub, a combination of cutting and grazing can help manage unwanted growth. To prevent resprouting, pull the roots, remove the stump, or treat it with a herbicide like glyphosate.