Deeproot Plant Base Online - Acalypha hispida

Plant Base Online (beta)

botanical name:
Acalypha hispida

common name: Chenille Plant, Red-hot Cat's Tail
family: Euphorbiaceae

characteristics: shrub, evergreen
height: 4.50m width: 1.80m
growth rate: fast
growth habit: erect
leaf colour: green
flower colour: red
main period of interest: All Year

poisonous or irritant

growing conditions: full sun, part shade, moist soil
prefered soil pH: neutral-acid
minimum temperature: 12°C
USDA zone: 10 to 11

description:
Erect, sparsely branched tropical shrub. Large oval leaves with pointed tips. Dioecious, with male and female flowers on separate plants. Female plants produce showy long drooping catkins of tiny bright red flowers. May flower intermittently throughout the year if conditions are favorable.
Cultivated plants are normally considerably smaller than those in the wild, normally about 1.5m high.

cultivation:
Moist, well-drained, humus-rich soils in full sun or part shade. Needs warm humid conditions.
Prune in spring. Continer grown plants my need more frequent nd harder pruning to control size.

propagation:
From seed or by semi-hardwood cuttings.

usage:
Tropical or sub-tropical gardens, often used in hedges.
House or conservatory plant in cooler regions.
Most cultivated plants are females.

other notes:
Native to New Guinea and Malaya