Acalypha amentacea ssp. wilkesiana (Copper leaf)

Acalypha amentacea Roxb. ssp. wilkesiana (Müll. Arg.) Fosberg

Acalypha wilkesiana Müll. Arg.

Copper leaf, copperleaf

Kingdom	Plantae	Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom	Tracheobionta	Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division	Magnoliophyta	Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class	Magnoliopsida	Dicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
Subclass	Rosidae	Roses, legumes, proteas, dogwoods, hydrangeas, mistletoes, euphorbias, grapes, many more
Order	Malpighiales	A broad group encompassing 16,000 species
Family	Euphorbiaceae	Euphorbia or spurge family
Genus	Acalypha	Copperleaves or three-seeded mercuries; means “nettle”
Species	amentacea	Means “narrow dangling flower”
ssp.	wilkesiana	Named for Admiral Charles Wilkes, a South Pacific explorer

About plant names...

Copper leaf is a shrub that can reach 15' (4.6 m) in height. In photo 3, the variety is probably ‘Marginata’, since its leaves are fringed in red. This plant is native to Fiji and other nearby islands in the South Pacific. It needs rich, moist, well-drained soil. In Florida, it has escaped cultivation in some areas, though it is not common; it is not established outside of Florida.

Identification: The unusual leaf coloration and restricted range in the United States are probably enough to distinguish copper leaf from other plants.

Edibility: Poisonous Skull & Crossbones All parts of copper leaf are highly toxic when ingested, and may cause rashes.

Medical: Recent research (2010) suggests that extracts from this plant are beneficial for the treatment of diabetes, and may lead to future treatments.

Online References:

Acalypha amentacea ssp. wilkesiana on Forest and Kim Starr’s Starr Environmental site (great photos)

Acalypha amentacea ssp. wilkesiana at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

Acalypha amentacea ssp. wilkesiana at the Missouri Botanical Garden

Acalypha amentacea ssp. wilkesiana on floridata.com

Acalypha amentacea ssp. wilkesiana on Wikimedia Commons (photos)

Acalypha amentacea ssp. wilkesiana description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

1 · 8/31/2013 · Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, Virginia
≈ 9 × 6" (22 × 15 cm)

2 · 2/26/2010 · San Diego Zoo, San Diego, California ID is uncertain

3 · 3/2/2001 · Kula Botanical Garden, Maui, Hawaii

Range: Zones 10a-11:

About this map...