Hello, I have grown a powder puff flower plant in my garden. In this article, I will share my personal experience on how to grow Powder Puff in Florida.
If you are from Florida then it will become much easier for you to take care of this Powder Puff plant.
This is a very unique flowering plant and it grows better in warmer climates. I have grown a red powder puff flower plant but this also comes in a lot of different colors. The major 3 colors are pink, red and white. I will share my plant's pictures here in this article.
Powder Puff Plant Information
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Calliandra haematocephala |
| Common Name | Powder Puff Plant |
| Family | Fabaceae |
| Genus | Calliandra |
| Origin | Central and South America |
| Growth Habit | Small tree or large shrub |
| Height | Up to 12 feet tall |
| Spread | Same as height |
| Foliage | Evergreen, pinnate leaves |
| Flowers | Showy, round, pink/red puffball-like flowers |
| Flowering Season | All year but mostly in sunny and spring days |
| Sun Exposure | Full sun to partial shade |
| Soil | Well-draining, mid level moist soil |
| Watering | Regular watering, soil should not be allowed to dry out completely |
| Hardiness Zones | USDA Zones 9-11 |
| Pruning | Prune to shape and control size, if necessary |
| Propagation | Seeds, softwood cuttings |
| Uses | Ornamental, landscaping |
| Special Features | Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds as well as sun birds |
| Toxicity | Non-toxic to humans and pets |
Now let's come to the propagation part first.
Can we grow powder puff from seeds? (propagation from seeds)
Yes, we can.
If you have bought seeds or you have collected seeds then sow these during either in rainy season or the spring. (But in my experience you can plant the seeds anytime you want. Keep the soil moisture after placing the seeds in the soil)
You will see beautiful saplings from the seeds within 2 weeks.
Note: If you are collecting seeds directly from the plant then collect the seeds before the seed pod spreads the seeds on the ground. Here I am sharing the picture of the seed pod that I noticed on my Red Powder Puff plant.
Cut the seed pods with scissors and collect the seeds. The seeds might be greenish or pinkish but both of those will germinate properly. No need to soak the seeds before sowing them in the soil.
You can prepare the soil properly before sowing the seeds. Well-drainage soil is highly recommended.
It's upon you if you want to grow this plant in a pot or ground.
Can we grow Powder Puff in a pot or container?
Yes, we can. And the most amazing part is you don't have to worry about the maintenance. Just repot the plant every 2 to 3 years.
This plant does not demand a lot of fertilizer.
But if you are planning to grow it in a pot, I would recommend you to grow the dwarf variety of this plant as that will grow near about 4 feet and will look awesome in the pot.
Watering
Never let the soil completely dry. Keep the soil moist and keep watering once every 2-3 days.
Make sure the water drainage system is good enough.
Required fertilizer for powder puff
It's amazing that this unique flowering plant is strong enough to live healthy without getting outside fertilizers.
You can fertilize it once a year during flowering season. Organic compost or kitchen wastage is good for this plant. You can also give it bone powder once in a blue moon.
Propagation from stem cuttings
If you want to get the exact flowering quality from the parent tree then go for stem cutting propagation.
Select a healthy stem (the straight stem will be better) and cut it from the bottom. Now remove all the leaves from the stem.
Apply rooting hormone if you have to the bottom of the cutting stem. (Beleive me this really speeds up the root creation)
Now plant it in moist soil. Keep watering to prevent the soil from drying out.
Within a month you will see good results.
Photos of red powder puff plant:
Here are some of the pictures of my plant.
Common pests and diseases
As far I have seen only the attacks of Mealybug on my powder puff plant.
How to prevent powder puff from Mealybug?
- You can take soap powder and dilute with water. Then spray it on the plant.
- You can use neem oil as well.
- Or you can buy liquid from gardening shops to prevent mealybug.
