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Dominica Botanic Gardens
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Selected Trees and Shrubs
Calliandra surinamensis, Common name: Pink Calliandra, Pink Powderpuff


Plant Family: Belongs to the Mimosaceae family, which includes the imposing Saman (Samanea saman) and Woman's Tongue (Albizia lebbek).

Description: Fast growing, low branching, small tree or shrub with multiple thin stems and dense foliage, up to 5 m tall (16 ft) but more commonly half that size; large specimen on left of road going north to Gardens Main Gate; leaves usually bipinnate, with 7-14 pairs of oblong leaflets, each 10-17 mm long (0.4-0.7 in) and 3-5 mm wide (0.1-0.2 in); flowers axillary, compound, 6-8 cm across (2-3 in), fragrant and showy; look like powderpuffs due to mass of long filaments; filaments white at base and pink or red above (in contrast to the regular Powderpuff, C. purpurea, which is all red or red-purple); extent of white may vary; filaments 3-4 cm long (1.2-1.6 in); fruit a flat pod, first green then turning brown, 7-15 cm long (3-6 in), and 8-13 mm broad (0.3-0.5 in), containing 5-6 seeds; profuse flowering throughout year.

Natural Habitat: Well drained soil in full sun or partial shade; but will grow on a range of soil types and is drought resistant; propagation by seed or cutting.

Origin and Distribution: Native to tropical S. America; distributed variously in tropics and sub-tropics; found throughout Caribbean

Uses: Primarily a specimen ornamental, can also be trained as a hedge.
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References:
Calliandra surinamensis. Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER), USDA Forest Service, Albany, California, n.d. (hear.org)
Edward F. Gilman and Dennis G. Watson. Calliadra surinamensis, Pink Powderpuff. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 1993 (hort.ifas.ufl.edu)
Robert A. DeFilipps. Useful Plants of the Commonwealth of Dominica, West Indies. Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. 1998
​​Gardens Introduction

​

Preface - How it Began
Introduction to Website
A Brief History
Plan of Gardens 
Contemporary Commentary​
​Trees, Shrubs, Birds

​
​
Selected Trees and Shrubs
Medicinal Plants
​
Gardens Activities
  Florida's Fairchild Garden
Parrot/Animal Sanctuary
Birds of the Gardens
Garden Views

​
​
Three Virtual Tours
Panoramic Views Today
Early Panoramic Views
 
Hurricane David's Ravages
Future Developments
Curators/Administrators
Reports and Documents
  
Getting Involved
Related Links
Sub-sites

​

Honorees
Island Scholars
Cabinet Photos
​​Treasures of the Cathedral

​Diaspora Policy Paper
​

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Copyright © -  Davison Shillingford, Clayton Shillingford and (the late) Raglan Riviere