The race is on (pink Caesalpinia vs. cool weather)

9 years ago

Hi everyone,

I've posted about this plant before, the pink form of Caesalpinia pulcherrima (the so-called "red bird of paradise" which usually comes in orange-red, plus the yellow variant 'Phoenix bird').

I love the regular orange-red type of this plant and grow it as well, but this pink form is a bit more shy with the flowers. And when I say a bit more shy, I mean last autumn, its first, it just starting making flower buds when the weather cooled and the buds started falling off. Ugh.

I think I'm in for the same abuse this autumn, hah! It's JUST barely starting to make flowers (the red form has been blooming for many months now all over the valley of course). We'll see who wins: the flowers or the cool weather.

Lots of us on this forum ordered a bunch of seeds of this pink form of Caesalpinia pulcherrima and we all got seedlings but none survived. I bought this guy online as a tiny seedling in 2013 and now it's 7 feet tall with five different branches. We'll see what we see. If the cold wins this year, OUT this plant goes!

Happy gardening,
Grant

Comments (8)

azbolt
9 years ago
I had planted one (well, MANY, but only one survived) and finally this month it bloomed for the first time....it was orange. I was quite bummed. I hope you have better luck Grant...

Kevin
Laura81
9 years ago
If you are going to throw it out can I have it? I would like to try my hand at it. Good Luck!!
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grant_in_arizona
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks for the comments. Sorry yours was orange, Kevin. This one just started to bloom when it got "chilly" last year and they were definitely pink, or at least pink-ISH. We'll see if it does a better job this year. Each branch has a ton of buds, so I'm hopeful. No matter how pink, I'm not sure if it's worth keeping if it's going to bloom THIS late, hah! I'll definitely post before I rip it out, Laura, LOL.

Happy gardening all, thanks for the comments!
Grant
grant_in_arizona
Original Author
9 years ago
Okay, THIS year the blooms are ahead of the cool weather (for the most part, LOL). Here are a couple of pics. I'd call these pink. I'll grab another pic in the morning. What do you think? Happy gardening!

{{gwi:421874}}

{{gwi:421875}}

Happy gardening!
Grant
azbolt
9 years ago
So THAT'S what they look like! Pink for sure...

Kevin
grant_in_arizona
Original Author
9 years ago
Yup, pink for sure, Kevin and all,

{{gwi:421876}}

But here's the bottom line: the weather is still GORGEOUS and the dumb plant is already shutting down. The youngest flower buds are already aborting and the new flowers are tired, tired tired. This is the same routine as last year. I really don't think I could recommend this variety for our climate when the red (and yellow 'Phoenix' cultivar) of C. pulcherrima has been blooming for months and months and months locally.

I'm so displeased in fact, I ripped it out and replaced with with a pink Malvaviscus drummondii that was needing a home. Now THAT'S a performer here, LOL.

Happy gardening all,
Grant
colinhanke
9 years ago
Grant I have that same sculpture with the sphere and arrow through it in my living room! Excellent taste!
grant_in_arizona
Original Author
9 years ago
Hah, that's fun chanke, thanks for mentioning it! Having inside is a really fun idea! I let mine get ungulfed with either Alamo vine (Merremia dissecta) or "climbing snapdragon" (Asarina scandens), depending on my mood. Right now it's got some youngish cuttings of "Mexican flame vine" (Senecio confusus). Love your idea of having it inside. Any pics? Happy gardening, thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: Pics from my little garden, Dec 2014