The Baja fairy duster (Calliandra californica) is a drought-tolerant plant that adds a desert-like ambience to any arid landscape. It’s red flowers give a jewel-like dusting of red glitter that attracts hummingbirds and other pollinators. Read all about the Baja fairy duster plant care guidelines, and see if this hardy plant will work in your xeriscape.
that look like a petite duster. Here are
the Baja fairy duster plant care guidelines.
Photo by Doug Martin
Baja Fairy Duster plant care
But first, let’s describe this plant!
Baja fairy duster description
Baja fairy duster is a shrub:
This plant is a shrub. It has new, woody stems emerging around its base. Just like all shrubs, the Baja fairy duster can get a bushy, rounded shape over time, especially if it is periodically pruned.
However, without pruning, this shrub can get leggy, sometimes with an asymmetrical shape. Since the oldest stems are in the center, they will generally be the longest (unless pruned).
For me, I like the less-formal, more natural shape of this shrub. It enhances the desert-like feel of my arid landscape, and that appeals to me.
of small green leaves on woody stalks.
Photo by Doug Martin
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Flowers:
The Baja fairy duster has bright red flowers, that from a distance, can appear to be a sparkling ball of fireworks of red color dancing in a landscape. The bright-red stamens with their tiny black tips (anthers) surround the pistil in this plant’s flower.
The stamens are feathery thin and conjure up images of a tufted, sparkling, and magical feather duster in your imagination.
In fact, the flowers are shaped like a portable feather duster when it first blooms! In a few days, it will open further and appear like a tufted ball of color.
The Calliandra californica blooms most profusely in the late-winter to early spring seasons. However, if it’s located in a very warm growing zone, like southern Arizona or the lower altitudes of the southwest, then the Baja fairy duster can also bloom year-round.
Baja fairy duster complement the lush purple
flowers of the autumn sage (purple) in the background.
Photo by Doug Martin
Vegetation:
This shrub has woody stems, with small leaflets that are clustered on a branch, similar to the leaflets on a fern. The smaller shape of the Baja fairy duster’s leaves allow it to dissipate heat more quickly.
No thorns:
Unlike many xeriscape plants, including my bougainvilleas, this shrub has no thorns! The stems do get woody, and mine is covered with microscopic white hairs that also dissipate the heat during our intense summers.
Height and width:
This shrub can get five feet high, with a width of about three-to-five feet.
Hardiness zones:
The Baja fairy duster is native to the southern part of Baja California. The ideal USDA hardiness zones are 9-to-11. It tolerates extremely hot temperatures, and is frost tolerant.
However, if temps dip below 25 degrees F, provide some protection from the cold. Otherwise, temperatures in the teens or lower could kill off its vegetation. Hopefully, new growth should emerge from the base of the plant in the following spring.
When I lived in Las Cruces, New Mexico (zone 8-ab), my Baja fairy duster got hit hard during some single digit early morning freezes. Even then, it came back in the spring, but it was a slow process.
will put out new flower buds
as the branch continues to grow.
Photo by Doug Martin
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Baja fairy duster plant care
How to care for the Baja fairy duster
Plant in full sun:
Plant this flowering shrub in full sun. In a sunny location, it will produce more flowers and more vegetation.
However, the Baja fairy duster will also do well in partly sunny locations, making it an ideal plant to go under a Palo Verde tree, or other larger desert plant.
Plant in well-draining soil:
Plant your Baja fairy duster in soil that drains well. If needed, add organic garden soil along with a little sand or pumice to enhance drainage.
When possible, plant on an elevated mound, or in a rock garden. This plant loves to feel the heat emanating off of rocks planted close by, so a rock garden can be a perfect environment for this perennial.
Water deeply periodically:
This shrub is drought-tolerant, but does tolerate overwatering. However, to survive abundant rainfall or irrigation without rotting, the soil must drain well.
During the summer, I water my Baja fairy dusters deeply once a week. During the winter, they could survive a month in between deep waterings.
However, this shrub does look better with more deep waterings. In addition, it grows faster with more access to water.
Prune once a season or less:
This shrub does not require frequent pruning. In fact, for a more wild look, you could let it grow without pruning at all. Without pruning, it will get leggy, but it will also add a more natural look to your xeriscape.
In my case, I usually prune my Baja fairy dusters in early spring. Pruning will encourage fuller growth and stimulate more flower production.
by the beautiful purple-blue flowers
of the trailing lantana in the background.
Photo by Doug Martin
TAKEAWAYS:
Baja fairy duster plant care
The Baja fairy duster plant has vibrantly red flowers shaped like a hand duster. The flowers and the small green leaves add a whimsical element to any drought-tolerant landscape.
This shrub loves the heat, and can tolerate cold weather. It can survive on minimal amounts of water, but extra water will stimulate fuller vegetation and increased flowering.
Prune lightly to encourage fuller growth and more flower production, or let it grow unpruned for a more natural, wild look. Personally, I prune my Baja fairy dusters in the spring.
Content and photos by Doug Martin and The Zen Xeriscape
