Recently, I was attracted by this bright red flower that looks like a big rambutan fruit. The flowers are very striking and spectacular. On second thoughts, I think they look like porcupine spikes too. What do you think?
Are you growing this plant in your garden and what is your common name for it?
Scientific name: Combretum constrictum
Common name: Thailand Powderpuff
Family: Combretaceae
Native of: Tropical Africa
Photographs taken by Autumn Belle at The Secret Garden of 1-Utama
Grateful thanks to Dr. Francis Ng
This is an evergreen that grows under the full or partial sun. It flowers freely throughout the year and the blooms are attractive to bees, butterflies and birds.
My post today is dedicated to Flower Lady from Florida, USA of Plum Cottage Gardens blogs. Thank you for being the first commenter of my previous post on the Asian Foxtail. I'm sure you'll be inspired by her lovely exotic flowers and beautiful quotes.
This is end of April 2010, time for The Hot, the Loud, and the Proud Meme started by Noel of A Plant Fanatic blog. Please follow my link here to participate or view other spectacular shows around the world.
This is also my entry for Fertilizer Friday. My grateful thanks to Tootsie at Tootsie Time for hosting Fertilizer Friday. To see what others have posted or to participate, visit here.
Post publication update: Bernie is growing this plant in her garden. She has written a post about it at My Dry Tropics Garden blog. The post is here.
Great photos Autumn Belle ... they really show off this marvellous shrub so well.
ReplyDeleteI also grow this beauty and it's in full bloom right now. It attracts lots of Sunbirds and butterflies in my garden. My shrub doesn't flower quite all year round ... it takes a break over the winter and starts blooming again in late spring.
Over here we also use the common name Thailand Powder Puff.
Stunning photograph! Truly special!
ReplyDeleteNancy
aloha autumn belle,
ReplyDeletethis is a beautiful shrub/tree, they are also very popular here in hawaii and the blooms are very showy
thanks for sharing this with us today :)
The buds that are ready to bloom look like a dragon. They are blowing hot, and hot flame.
ReplyDeleteLove it! Your photo also captured the beuty of this flower so well! Very Hot, Loud and Proud!
ReplyDeleteI don't grow that and am not familiar with it. But it is very beautiful! Reminds me of the blood lily, only growing in bush form. Wonderful plant and perfect for hot, loud, and proud!
ReplyDeleteA stunning flower, Autumn Belle, and such a perfect subject for your signature photography style of starting up close and then gradually giving us a fuller picture. Wow! -Jean
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that as Thailand Powderpuff,over here the Calliandra Emerginata is also known as powderpuff plant, the flowers quiet similar.
ReplyDeleteLike Jama we call that Calliandra of just powder puff, no Thailand hehe. As usual your photos are lovely. I am not good yet with my DSLR.
ReplyDeleteAt the first glance - I thought it was a blood lily.
ReplyDeleteReally they look marvelous - any fragrance?
I would love to have that shrub in my garden. It is very pretty! It reminds me a little of the bottle brush shrub.
ReplyDeleteHello autumn belle; a beautiful tropical Powderpuff, as it is commonly called like all the others with similar flowers. The colour is really tropical hot and showy. I wish to grow one like this!
ReplyDeleteThis African native powderpuff does look like rambutan and a big one ;-) Nice puffs. Have a good day.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flowers. Great photographs.
ReplyDeleteCostas
My post today is dedicated to Autumn Belle from Malaysia of "My nice garden"
ReplyDeleteGood morning Autumn Belle ~ That is a beautiful powder puff flower. I don't have that one, but do have a baby white powder puff growing from seed planted last year. No blooms yet.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the dedication. I now have 4 blogs going, yikes.
Love the orchid that is your last picture. Just beautiful.
Have a lovely weekend ~ FlowerLady
Hi, everyone. Thank you very much for the visits and nice comments. I really appreciate it very much.
ReplyDeleteJama, Andrea. Eventhough Combretum and Calliandra Emerginata are from different families, they do look like powderpuffs, no wonder they have similar common names.
James, you caught me this time! I don't know of any scent from this flower. Also no info. about the fragrance. I'll ask Bernieh who is growing this plant.
Autumn Belle this is beautiful - it reminds me of a plumper bottle brush plant.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great stand out plant!!
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful flower, but now you have me craving some rambutan! Some days I'll drive all over the city looking at each and every grocery store for fruit like rambutans, dragonfruit, lychee and passionfruit.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a beauty, Autumn Belle! I love it at the stage of the buds just unfurling. :)
ReplyDeleteSimply gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteI saw some in Manila but I'm pretty clueless with names. We name our flowers after people. Now, if I see that flower again I will name it "AutumnBelle"
It looks so exotic to me...and very lovely!
ReplyDeleteWhat a gorgeous flower!
ReplyDeleteThese flowers are gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteThese are called Callendra / powder puff here and are a common sight along the road side. Beautiful shots and the RED is definitely catchy n haute! Thx for sharing. Its a pleasure.
ReplyDeleteIt resemble rambutan in a small way, the hairs especially, but it also exhibits striking similarity to ixora with its dashing red spikes... ~bangchik
ReplyDeleteNow, I have the answer as regards to fragrance on the plant. Bernie has replied to me that this plant does not have a fragrance on its flowers or leaves.
ReplyDeleteBernie has written a post on this plant, so I'm going to insert her link here.
Juz as expected awesome pixs again. Lovely tQ.
ReplyDeleteWhat a firecracker of a specimen! My Dad would be head over heels in love with this one!
ReplyDeleteI think it def. suites the theme you have here. Thanks!
Rosey
WOW! WHat an amazing flower! Thanks for sharing...Paula in Idaho
ReplyDeletei am not too fond of red flowers most esp red roses but this one looks pretty
ReplyDelete