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Red Bird of Paradise
Caesalpinia pulcherrima

Rounded to vase-shaped shrub with medium green, soft, ferny foliage and clusters of showy, multi-colored, yellow to red flowers with long red stamens. Leaflets slightly larger and more rounded then on Yellow Bird (C. gilliesii), but significantly smaller than on Mexican Bird (C. mexicana). Branches covered in tiny, extremely sharp prickles. Young and recently planted specimens generally lose their leaves and die back severely in winter, sometimes to the ground, in our area. Well-established plants may keep their leaves through part or all of winter and generally have less severe dieback. Entire plant turns maroon to burgundy in cold weather. Cut back to live wood in spring, after the plant sprouts. Seed pods can be messy and seeds and pods are toxic if ingested. Plant in warm weather. 'Phoenix' cultivar has bright to butterscotch yellow flowers with yellow stamens. More cold sensitive then the regular Red Bird.

• Plant type: Shrub
• Maintenance level: Medium
• Water requirement: Low
• Sun exposure: Full, Part Sun, Reflected Heat
• Height range: 4–8 Feet
• Width range: 4–8 Feet
• Canopy value: 28 ft²
• Growth rate: Fast
• Seasonal habit: Evergreen, Deciduous, Semi-Evergreen, Semi-Deciduous
• Flower color: Orange, Yellow, Red
• Flower season: Spring, Summer, Autumn
• Fruit color: Red, Brown
• Fruit season: Autumn
• General foliage color: Green
• Fall foliage color: Red, Brown
• Design style: Pollinator Plants, Thorns/Spines
• Hardiness cold tolerance: 15 °F
• Soil preference: Well Drained
• Native location: Tropical America
• PH preference: Not Particular
• Sunset zones: 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, H1, H2
• USDA hardiness zone: 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b

Plant characteristic definitions