Acalypha hispida - Chenille Plant

What an exotic, wonderful shrub! Cat's tail acalypha or Chenille Plant is a rounded shrub, with wide green leaves and spectacular tails of bright red flowers, produced throughout the year. It loves HOT temperatures and will die with frost but it can be pruned and saved indoors every winter.

It can be fully evergreen in tropical climates, but in cooler areas Acalypha hispida will loose most or all leaves during the coldest months.

Good Old Acalyphas from the Pacific

In Canarius.com you will find lots of traditional Acalypha cultivars from the Pacific. They have been around for centuries and they are all very robust. These acalyphas are commonly planted in the gardens of the Canary Islands. They are so hardy in our climate that they are often planted in roads and roundabouts.

There are different varieties, selected in the Pacific Islands for their outstanding beauty. Acalyphas are perfect garden plants because they are easy and fast, they stand drought and they can be pruned as hedges, at the desired height. They all probably belong to the wild species Acalypha wilkesiana, but they have been selected in cultivation for centuries.

Acalyphas can take a short, light frost but they should be better kept above 6 C. They are marginal in coastal mediterranean climates and can be adapted outdoors with some winter protection. In cold climates, Acalyphas can be grown in pots and they can be heavily pruned in autumn for winter rest. Spring growth will be a show. They are called Copperleaf in English and simply Acalifa in Spanish.

Buy an Acalypha Plant in our Web Shop

We ship a robust, sun-grown plant of at least 5 months, cultivated in a 16-20 cm pot. This is a fast growing species and it is produced once or twice a year so the specimens can be 40-100 cm tall. We will always try to select a compact robust plant for you. In some cases we will prune the plant before shipping. This is because some plants are too tall to fit in the box and also because the upper branches are too tender, so pruning will be helpful during the transit. It will surely grow back soon because it is a fast growing plant, commonly pruned in gardens. Depending on the season, this plant can be sent bare-rooted, with the roots wrapped in moist sphagnum or perlite. Be prepared to plant it in a pot of at least 18 cm, filled with good garden soil and place it in full sun, at 16-30 C. We ship worldwide.

Visit THIS LINK and see pictures of our plants on the packing desk and learn more about what we ship.