Calliandra eriophylla (fairy duster)

Calliandra eriophylla Benth.

Calliandra eriophylla Benth. var. chamaedrys Isely

Calliandra eriophylla Benth. var. eriophylla

Fairy duster, pink fairy duster, mock mesquite, mesquitilla, fairyduster

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	Fabales	Legumes (pea and bean families)
Family	Fabaceae	Legume family (peas and beans)
Genus	Calliandra	From the Greek kallos, “beautiful,” and andra, “stamen”
Species	eriophylla	From the Greek erion, “wool,” and phyllon, “leaf,” referring to the matted white hairs that cover the plant when young

About plant names...

Fairy duster is a low woody shrub which produces beautiful hummingbird-friendly flowers, members of the extensive legume (bean) family. These plants are North American natives.

Identification: Fairy dusters are 12-48" (30-121 cm) tall. The pink or white flowerheads are up to two inches across. The leaves are tiny and bipinnate. Seed pods are small, brown, and curled.

By Norman G. Flaigg, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Online References:

Calliandra eriophylla at Southeastern Arizona Wildflowers and the Plants of the Sonoran Desert

Calliandra eriophylla at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Calliandra eriophylla on cals.arizona.edu

Calliandra eriophylla at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum Sonoran Desert Digital Library

Calliandra eriophylla on CalPhotos

Calliandra eriophylla at George and Audrey DeLange's Arizona wildflower site

Calliandra eriophylla on Wikimedia Commons

Calliandra eriophylla on web.stanford.edu

Calliandra eriophylla on Desert-tropicals.com

Calliandra eriophylla description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 25 May 2020.

4/17/2003 · Saguaro National Park, Pima, AZ · By Constance B. Kent

(That's a blue agave at left.) · 5/25/2009 · Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Superior, AZ
≈ 29 × 22" (73 × 56 cm)

Range: Zones 7b-11:

About this map...