Macro - Baja Fairy Duster Bloom

Calliandra californica (Baja fairy duster), is a shrub which is native to Mexico. The flowers, which appear in early summer, have clusters of red stamens.

If hummingbirds could vote for Plant of the Month, this would be one of their clear winners.

Baja Fairy Dusters are almost constantly in bloom, and almost constantly being visited by hummingbirds, bees, Marine Blue butterflies, and even orioles!

This loose shrub with criss-crossing branches is usually between 0.6 and 1.8 metres (2 - 5 ft) in height, before sprawling out to a width of nearly 2 meters (6 ft). and has bipinnate dark green leaves that look like tight miniature ferns (see mid right side of blip), overshadowed by the red spiky flowers.
The seed pods are like snow peas; when ripe they explode and the seed germinates readily.

Native to sandy washes, flats, and hillsides in the Cape region of Baja California, they are perfectly happy with full sun to light shade in clay soil with good drainage at the foot of the Santa Monica mountains, with water ranging from lightly once a week to deeply once a month.

They are evergreen; it is reported that they will loose their leaves if drought or cold stressed, and in their native habitat bloom after spring and fall rains.