When we started planting our butterfly garden, one of our goals was to get our sons more interested in being outside. So of course, when selecting plants I brought them to the garden center to help pick. I learned long ago to research plants ahead of time, then make a list and avoid impulse purchases. (More on the impulse plants that taught me this lesson in an upcoming article!) But my sons had different ideas. And when they saw this little tiny bush, with big cotton candy pink flowers that looked like spikes, they both gasped. “Mom we have to have this one.”
I scanned the sign in the garden center for information. It was in the butterfly friendly section of the garden center. Check. It said part shade to full sun. It said disease resistant. Check. Check. It also said dwarf. Yes! It would easily fit in a corner space, under our crazy huge FireBush and by our Pipevine. I could spoil my kids with a plant they picked. The flowers were striking and attractive to butterflies. This is a win/win.
By sheer luck I planted it in the back corner. I say that because within three years, this is how big our “dwarf” got.
Turns out I bought a dwarf tree. Luckily it will reach 15 feet max eventually because it is right under power lines. And luckily I did not accidentally buy an invasive species originating from China. (Although they do look strikingly similar.) Our goal in this bed is native or nearly native if at all possible. But this plant is not in either category. It originated from Bolivia.
This is commonly called a Powderpuff Tree. I am giving you its scientific name, so if you want one, you can get the correct one, since several plants are nicknamed Powderpuff Tree. This pink beauty is a Callianda Haematocephala. Learning about it later took some work. There are not a lot of articles about it.
This tree doesn’t mind a neighbor competing for space reaching for the sun. It also doesn’t mind that the Pipevine is constantly wrapping itself around several branches, pulling them down. But because of these things, I am doing a lot more pruning than I planned for! These plants are crammed in together way more than they should. And my “dwarf” turned part of my full sun garden patch to part shade.
But I have to admit. I am in love with it. The bees literally immerse themselves in the blooms, like they are jumping into a small pool. The butterflies love it too. And the hummingbirds stop by all the time. But the thing I love the most, is how the leaves close up at night. Every dusk you can see them closing up, ready for their long nap. Like the plant has to give itself a big full body hug in order to sleep. It is so sweet and it reminds me of something a child would do. Then I think of my sons, not so little anymore, jumping up and down at the garden center saying “We want this one, look at this one.” I feel like I get a little hug from that memory whenever I look at this tree. So our great big , in my opinion, non dwarf “pink out” is a welcome addition. Even though it was never part of our “garden plan.” It is one of our greatest surprises and joys.
