Foliage: Deciduous

Mature Height: 6' - 10’

Mature Width: 6’ - 10’

Growth Rate: Fast

Hardiness: 25 degrees F

Exposure: Full Sun

Leaf Color: Green

Shade: Filtered

Flower Color:  Orange-Red

Flower Shape: Petals

Flower Season: Spring to Fall

Thorns: None

Propagation Method: Seed

Sizes Available: Not Grown at AZT

Photo Not Available

Caesalpinia pulcherrima (Red Bird of Paradise) is by far the most popular and widely used of the desert birds of paradise. It is cultivated as a landscape plant in the tropics and subtropics. This deciduous shrub hardy to 25 degrees can grow from 6' to 10' tall and as wide. It has naturalized throughout the warmer parts of Mexico. Insufficient rain and low winter temp. may combine to prevent naturalization in Arizona. Young stems may have small, weak curved thorns. This attractive ornamental has bright orange-red flowers, with red stamens 2 to 3 times as long as the flower, produced from as early as April and as late as November. Red birds can be trained into small trees but do not have the visual impact of the pruned shrub form. Typically stems are pruned to within 6 to 12 inches above the ground, when the plant is dormant, to promote flowering and denser branching next season.