wallisadi,

Tell us about that Red Cloak, please. Does it draw critters, for instance? How big? Repeat bloomer if dead headed?

If I was a hummingbird I think that would make me slobber.

TY,

Veronica

I love my Brazilian Cloak. It is quite a big bush and likes dappled light, not full sun, or at least that was what I was told. The flowers are so big and then get white tips along with the red. I don't think it is a rebloomer, but the blooms last a long time. ;o)

Thanks, everyone. I had put this plant on my "want" lists awhile ago, but couldn't remember why. Now I do. :)

Walli, you are a man of few words, but a picture says a thousand words! Thanks!

Carol

Brazilian Cloak now selling at Kerby's in Brandon.

Is anyone in Jacksonville or north Florida growing Brazilian Red Cloak? Do you grow it in the ground and, if so, does it come back in the spring? How quickly does it come back? Or do you keep it in a container? How is it doing? I still really want one - they are so beautiful. I wonder how it would do here.

Thanks!
Carol in Jacksonville

I finally got a Brazilian Red Cloak earlier this summer and it is doing great. Lots and lots of new growth and it has tripled in size. However, I read on a couple blogs that it might take years for it to bloom?!! Please tell me noooooooooooooo! On one blog, it took three years to bloom. Then after a couple of years, the blogger decided to relocate the plant. Then it took another five years to bloom! I wonder if I can I push it along with some bloom booster fertilizer? How long did it take for your Brazilian Red Cloak to bloom?

By the way, my red firespike are blooming great. Still no blooms from my pink/purple firespike.

Carol

Carol,
I don't remember waiting any great length of time for my Brazilian Red Cloak to bloom. It usually has spectacular hot pink and white flowers in December, but this year is really strange. Since we had such a mild winter 2012/2013, it did NOT bloom, and I didn't do my usual Springtime trimming on it. Right now it has put out one weak flower spike. I am looking for more blooms this December.

Linda Leaf

Hi Carol

When I got the red cloak and the red and purple firespike, I thought the same thing that they look similar. The purple firespike bloomed for me already, don't remember when and the red is blooming now. Red cloak is growing, no idea when it will bloom. But I have a neighbor down the block who moved to his house this past year, the house didn't have any nice landscape. After he moved he put some plants in the back of his house around the side of the trail. His red cloaks are blooming with gorgeous flowers! he does get more shade than I do because he has some grown trees in the back.
I will keep you posted and one of these days I might ask the neighbor about his plants.:)

Silvia

Carol - Hey there
It's been my experience that purple firespike blooms in the winter. The one I gave my mom from a cutting I got at a swap is now huge and vigorous, growing in the shade of a big oak and is now getting loads of buds.

The ones I kept are just sitting there.

A little more patience, I guess . . . .

Susie

Dave's Garden gives the cloak rave reviews, with none of them mentioning water.... However, Daves' notes: "Requires consistently moist soil; do not let dry out between waterings." Is this so?

The photo shown is only two plants that get watered once or twice a week. Really likes patial sun the best.