Worth knowing:
The frost-hardy Peacock Shrub is a fast-growing small tree that grows not more than two to three meters and is perfectly suited for cultivation as a tub plant. Its up to 20 cm long double pinnate leaves are alternately arranged. In high summer it produces superb and exotic upstanding inflorescences with 30 to 40 single flowers at its end from where the scarlet coloured filaments spring. However, you might need some patience and anticipation since the Peacock Shrub usually only starts to flourish with its third year. You can keep your plant without a problem on your porch, balcony or in the garden until the winter, and then move it inside.
Natural Location:
The Caesalpinia gillesii has its natural habitat in South America, particularly in Uruguay, Argentina and Chile.
Cultivation:
Seed propagation indoors is possible throughout the year. To increase the germinability, you can slightly roughen the seed with a soft file or a piece of sandpaper and place it in warm water for about 24 hours. Then, plant the seed about 1 cm deep into moist potting compost, put some compost earth on top and cover the seed container with clear film to prevent the earth from drying out. Don’t forget to make some holes in the clear film and take it every second or third day completely off for about 2 hours. That way you avoid mold formation on your potting compost. Place the seed container somewhere bright and warm with a temperature between 20°C and 25°Celsius and keep the earth moist, but not wet. The first seedlings will come up after one to three weeks.
Place:
The frost-hardy Peacock Shrub wants to be kept in a bright, full sunny and wind-protected place.
Care:
Especially during the growth period and the hot summer months, the Peacock Shrub needs to be watered regularly and penetratingly. Just be advised that your plant doesn’t tolerate waterlogging in the saucer. Ideally, you may set up a drainage layer with clay granulate at the bottom of the pot. By all means, the earth can dry out for a short time until the next watering. Even young plants can be pruned from time to time during the year to get a neat bushy growth. After the third year, you should only do a cut back after blossoming.
During the winter:
If protected, your plant can stay outdoors until late autumn and temperatures above -5° Celsius. After, it has to be moved inside to a bright place with temperatures between 0° and 10° Celsius, where it still needs modest watering. When your Peacock Shrub casts the leaves it can also hibernate in a darker place with only sporadically watering.
Picture credits:
- © © Tim from Ithaca - CC-BY-SA-2.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Frank Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Sabine Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Sabine Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © Sabine Laue - © Saflax - http://www.saflax.de/copyright
- © A. Barra - CC-BY-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
- © Gmihail - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
- © Paul venter - CC-BY-SA-3.0 - http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0
