How to Grow Calliandra? A Detailed Guide to the Latest Cultivation Methods
Calliandra is an excellent flowering ornamental tree species, also known as red acacia, American acacia, red powder puff, etc. It is a deciduous shrub or small tree of the genus Calliandra in the Fabaceae family. Its flowers are extremely beautiful. It is native to South America and is now commonly cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. In China, Taiwan, Fujian and Guangdong have introduced and cultivated it for ornamental purposes. Let us take a look at the cultivation methods for Calliandra below!
Growth Habits of Calliandra
Calliandra is a tropical flower. Its branches spread out, and the branchlets are brown and rough. The stipules are ovate-lanceolate. The flower heads are axillary. The calyx is green, and the corolla is pale purplish-red. The pods are linear-oblanceolate, and the seeds are oblong. The flowering period is from August to September, and the fruiting period is from October to November. It loves light and prefers a warm, humid climate. It is not cold-tolerant and is suitable for growing in deep, fertile, well-drained acidic soil.
Propagation Methods of Calliandra
1. Cuttings: Calliandra is generally propagated by cuttings. In spring, 20 cm long healthy branches can be cut for cuttings, and the cutting bed temperature must be maintained at 15-28 degrees C. For the cuttings, it is best to cut 1-2 year old branches that are not aged but have substantial tissue, each segment about 15-500 p-xylene, and insert them into a moist sand bed. Either shading or full-light misting can be used.
2. Sowing: Calliandra seeds are collected in October and stored dry until sowing in the following spring. Before sowing, soak the seeds in 60 degrees C hot water, changing the water once a day. On the third day, remove them and keep them moist for 1 week to promote germination. They sprout 5-7 days after sowing. During the seedling period, prune side branches in time to ensure the main trunk grows straight. Transplanting is best done before the buds sprout, but when transplanting large trees, supports should be set up to prevent them from being blown over by wind.
Cultivation Methods of Calliandra
1. Pot cultivation: For household pot cultivation, it is best to use garden soil mixed with some river sand as the potting soil, and place it on a south-facing balcony for growing and viewing. The optimum growth temperature is 23 degrees C to 30 degrees C. During overwintering, keep the temperature at 15 degrees C to 18 degrees C and shelter it from wind to reduce leaf drop. Normally, water when the top 1 cm of the potting soil is dry. In winter, water when half of the potting soil is dry. Apply a compound fertilizer once a month from spring to autumn.
2. Water and fertilizer: Young Calliandra plants need more water, and attention should be paid to irrigation during the growing period. Potted plants are more prone to drought and water shortage, with leaves appearing withered, so attention should be paid to replenishing water. For fertilization, natural organic fertilizer or compound fertilizer can be used, applied once a month. During the flowering period, apply more phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. The cultivation site needs sufficient sunlight; flowering is poor in shaded places.
3. Pruning: When the main trunk of a young Calliandra tree reaches more than 2 m in height, trunk-setting pruning can be carried out. Select 3 side branches staggered above and below as the main branches, and use them to expand the crown. In winter, shorten the 3 main branches, and cultivate several side branches on each main branch, staggered with one another, each occupying a certain space. When the crown expands too far and the lower part becomes bare, promptly cut back and renew the leader, and prune dead branches.
4. Pests and diseases: The main disease of Calliandra is canker, which can be sprayed with 50% Tuzet 800 times solution. The pests of Calliandra include longhorn beetles and psyllids. For longhorn beetles, use 1 kg of kerosene plus 50 g of 80% dichlorvos emulsifiable concentrate to kill them. For psyllids, spray with 40% dimethoate emulsifiable concentrate 1500 times solution.