[Arid_gardener] RE: shrubs (poinciana?) in Phoenix

[Donald Garnett]

Dear Nita,
 
Poinciana (genus Caesalpinia) is indeed used commonly as plantings along highways 
in the Phoenix and Tucson areas, most commonly Caesalpinia pulcherrima, called 
Red Bird of Paradise here. It has orange-red flowers, not pink, with red stamens, 
however. Caesalpinia mexicana is similar, with yellow flowers and red stamens. 
 
The only shrub I know of with pink flowers that comes close to your description is
the Fairy Duster (Calliandra), which also has fern-like foliage, but it would be hard
to mistake the two. Size would distinguish it from Caesalpinia - fairy dusters are 
rarely more than 4 feet high, while Caesalpinia grows to 8-10 feet.
 
  Hope this helps
  Don Garnett
  Tucson> ----------------------------------------------------------------------> > Message: 1> Date: Fri, 5 Oct 2007 10:35:31 -0700 (MST)> From: nlackey at sti.net> Subject: [Arid_gardener] Question from Home-Hort WWW page> To: <arid_gardener at Ag.arizona.edu>> Message-ID: <200710051735.l95HZV6Q020858 at Ag.arizona.edu>> > nita Lackey Master Gardner/ California> 93636> nlackey at sti.net> > a person visiting Phoenix says there is shrub that blooms almost non stop, that no one can identify. She did not have a photo, only a pressed flower to show me.> > It is about 1-1/2" across, has 5 petals, many long stamens that extend outward. It is pink. The foilage is fern like and delicate looking. It is growing in many locations expecially the free way. It sounds like a poinciana. > Can you help?> > Thank you very much> Nita Lackey > Madera County Master Gardner volunteer.
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