Plants

calliandra

Calliandra calothyrsus

Family: Fabaceae · Genus: Calliandra

red calliandra, powderpuff

Placenta II Medium Fertilizer biomass 🌱 Nitrogen fixer 🪓 Coppices after cutting

A very fast-growing leguminous shrub or small tree, usually 4-6 m tall, native to Central America. A nitrogen fixer that coppices vigorously after cutting, it is widely used for green manure, fuelwood and forage in agroforestry systems. Its relatively fast-decomposing biomass makes it a good 'adubadeira' for shading and soil enrichment.

Götsch succession

Götsch stage: Placenta II
Ecological role: Pioneer
Primary stratum: Medium
Strata: Medium, Low
Biomass class: Fertilizer biomass

Environment

Light requirement: Full sun
Water requirement: Moderate
Drought tolerance: Moderate
Waterlogging tolerance: None
Soil pH range: 5–7.5
Preferred soil texture: Loamy, Clayey, Sandy
Hardiness zones: 10–12

Morphology

Mature height: 4–6 m
Recommended spacing: 0.5–2 m
Root system: Taproot
Root depth: Deep
Growth rate: Very fast
Lifespan: ≤ 20 years
Time to first harvest: 9 months
Productive lifespan: 15 years

Biomes & climate

Atlantic Forest Suitable
Amazon Suitable

Köppen classes

Tropical rainforest (Af) Suitable
Tropical monsoon (Am) Suitable
Tropical savanna with dry winter (Aw) Suitable
Humid subtropical (Cfa) Suitable

Where it fits in a guild

Calliandra takes the Medium stratum in the Placenta II phase of succession — in a guild it shares the line with species from the other strata, each harvesting light at its own height, in its own time. It also fixes nitrogen, feeding the soil for its line neighbors.

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🪴 Cultivation

Tolerant of acid and degraded soils; responds very well to formation pruning and coppicing, regrowing for successive biomass harvests. Can become aggressive if unmanaged.

✂️ Management & Pruning

A premier coppicing 'adubadeira': cut to ~50 cm it regrows up to ~3 m in about 6 months from a tough rootstock. For chop-and-drop biomass, cut at 0.5–1 m every 2–4 months (shorter cycles lower nutritive value, longer ones raise biomass); pruning/pollarding on cycles up to ~4 months releases light to alley crops. Its condensed-tannin-rich leaves decompose more slowly, forming a persistent mulch. Cut preferably in the rainy season for vigorous regrowth.

📅 Phenology

Flowering months: March, April, May, June

Fruiting months: June, July, August

❓ Frequently asked questions

How long until the first harvest of calliandra?

The first harvest of calliandra comes around 9 months after planting.

What spacing is recommended for calliandra?

The recommended spacing for calliandra is 0.5–2 m.

How tall does calliandra grow?

At maturity, calliandra reaches 4–6 m tall.

When does calliandra fruit?

Fruiting of calliandra occurs in June, July, August.

When does calliandra flower?

Flowering of calliandra occurs in March, April, May, June.

What stage and stratum does calliandra occupy in a syntropic system?

In a syntropic system, calliandra belongs to the placenta ii stage, occupying the medium stratum.

Does calliandra fix nitrogen?

Yes — calliandra is a nitrogen-fixing species that helps fertilize the system's soil.

Functions

🌱 Nitrogen fixer 🌿 Biomass producer 🪴 Nurse plant Fodder Fuelwood 🍯 Melliferous Ornamental

Propagation

Seed

Citations

Plants of the World Online (POWO), Kew (scientific_name, family, genus, powo_id)
Wikipedia: Calliandra calothyrsus (height_min_m, height_max_m, growth_rate, nitrogen_fixer, functions, gotsch_stage, lifespan_years_max)
Useful Tropical Plants (coppice_ability, pruning_tolerance, biomass_class, ph_min, ph_max, pruning_notes, productive_lifespan_years, root_depth)
Tropical Forages — Calliandra calothyrsus (pruning_notes, time_to_first_harvest_months, waterlogging_tolerance, root_depth, spacing_min_m, spacing_max_m, ph_min, ph_max)
World Agroforestry (ICRAF) AgroforesTree Database — Calliandra calothyrsus (pruning_notes, spacing_min_m, spacing_max_m, root_depth, productive_lifespan_years)
PFAF Plant Database — Calliandra calothyrsus (hardiness_zone_min, hardiness_zone_max, ph_min, ph_max, waterlogging_tolerance)