James Burghardt
Family
Euphorbiaceae
Botanical Name
Acalypha hispida
Plant Common Name
Caterpillar Plant, Chenille Plant, Red-hot Cat's Tail
General Description
Dramatically filled with long, drooping catkins of velvety red flowers during the warm months, chenille plant is one of the tropical world's prettiest plants. It is a heat-loving broadleaf evergreen shrub native to Malaysia and New Guinea. It is grown for its pendulous fluffy red flowers that look much like fuzzy caterpillars. Interestingly, the French word for caterpillar is "chenille", the reason for its common name. Plants are dioecious - either male or female in gender, and only the showier-blooming female plants are used ornamentally. Flowers are subtended by teethed medium to dark green oval leaves; flowers continue to appear intermittently throughout the growing season.
Plant chenille plant in moist, well-drained soil (ideally a fertile sand) and provide full sun to partial shade for best results. Protect from arid air. Frost tender, light frosts may kill back the plant completely to the roots, making it rejuvenate in spring like a perennial. It's an excellent plant for hanging baskets and containers when small, and in the rear of a mixed border. It may also be grown as a specimen in tropical regions. Heavy summer rains or tropical storm winds readily break upright branches. Excessive watering often leads to the flower to becomeing blackened with mildew. Selection 'Alba' has flowers that are powdery pink.
Characteristics
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AHS Heat Zone
12 - 6
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USDA Hardiness Zone
10 - 15
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Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
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Plant Type
Shrub
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Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial Shade
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Height
6'-15' / 1.8m - 4.6m
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Width
5'-9' / 1.5m - 2.7m
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Bloom Time
Indeterminate
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Native To
Southeastern Asia, Melanesia
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Loam, Sand
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Growth Rate
Fast
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Water Requirements
Average Water
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Habit
Upright/Erect
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Red, Crimson
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Dark Green
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Bark Color
Sandy Brown, Gray
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
No
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Repeat Bloomer
Yes
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Showy Fruit
No
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Edible Fruit
No
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Showy Foliage
No
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Foliage Texture
Medium
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Foliage Sheen
Glossy
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Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Bark Texture
Smooth
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Usage
Container, Feature Plant, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
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Sharp or Has Thorns
No
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Invasive
No
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Self-Sowing
No
