In honor of Read Across America and Dr. Seuss Day (Mar. 2), the tree of the month for March is the Red Powderpuff (Calliandra haematocephala)!
With its spherical clusters of fluffy petals, the Red Powderpuff looks as though it has been plucked straight out of a Dr. Suess landscape. It is easy to imagine the Lorax stewarding something so whimsical. In the real world, these fantastical flowers have evolved to attract pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds, and their unique clustered arrangement of flowers provide for a concentrated source of nectar. Native to South America, these fun plants can grow 10-16 feet tall but only survive in tropical and subtropical regions. See one for yourself inside the tropical Main Greenhouse at Planting Fields!