By Chris Winslow
If I could only add one plant to the landscape a year, my choice at the moment would be Pride of Barbados.
This member of the pea family (Caesalpinia pulcherrima) is one of the showiest of the landscape perennials in central Texas.
Native to the West Indies, it is also known as dwarf poinciana. In the tropics it grows into a large shrub or small tree.
If you plant one around Buda or Kyle, winter cold snaps will freeze them back, and generally you can expect them to reach a height and width of only 5 – 7 feet.
The showy flower is what they’re all about. The flower clusters are orangey-red with yellow edges, approximately 8 to 10 inches across. Each cluster has crinkled petals 2 to 3 inches across. In addition the flowers produce bright red stamens that extend beyond each flower.
The main requirement for ‘prides’ is sun. Plant them in full to part sun, and they will flourish. They aren’t too fussy about soil, and will be equally happy whether it’s acid or alkaline soil.
Another important requirement is good drainage. They have shown a great tolerance for drought-like conditions and are a great candidate for xeriscape gardening and water conservation.
Its fern-like leaves offer a nice background to its showy flowers. As the flowers are pollinated, usually by butterflies, they produce bean pods. By fall, the seed can be harvested for planting in the spring.
When dried, the bean seed coat is very hard and needs nicking or weathering to germinate easily. I usually collect the seed and give them an acid bath before planting. With warm ground, the scarified seed will begin to grow in 2 to 3 weeks.
Pride of Barbados is an herbaceous perennial in our climate. It breaks dormancy in the spring, flowers mostly in the summer and fall, and freezes back with the first cold spells in late fall and winter. You are almost assured of a comeback in the spring with a layer of mulch and occasional winter watering.
If you are familiar with this plant and would like to grow some similar varieties, there are two more of these desert flowering plants to consider.
The desert or Texas Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia gilliesii) grows 6 to 8 feet tall and has similar fern-like foliage with large yellow flower clusters with large red stamens.
The Mexican Bird of Paradise (Caesalpinia mexicana) is actually a native of the Rio Grande Valley. This variety has golden, fragrant flowers borne on racemes 3 to 6 inches long.
Both grow under the same conditions and will add spectacular color to your perennial landscape while keeping your water bill to a minimum.
If you would like to see a great specimen, just drive to the entryway of Leisurewoods, on FM 1626. There’s a beautiful example on the right side of the entryway. This plant has been returning every spring for as long as I can remember.
Happy gardening everyone!
If you have a horticultural question, send it to me via email: iathyme@yahoo.com. (Please put ‘Ask Chris Winslow’ in the subject line.) Or mail your letter or postcard to: Ask Chris Winslow. It’s About Thyme: 11726 Manchaca Road, Austin, TX 78748
