Baja fairy duster

Calliandra californica, the Baja fairy duster, is an evergreen, woody shrub, native to Baja California, Mexico. In Spanish, the plant is also known vernacularly as tabardillo, zapotillo or chuparosa. The flowers, which appear in early summer, have clusters of red stamens. The shrub is usually 0.6–1.8 metres (2 ft 0 in – 5 ft 11 in) in height and has bipinnate leaves. The leaves have been described as "fern-like." Leaves close at night time.

Calliandra californica is cold tolerant to temperatures of 22 °F (−6 °C), though its roots will tolerate temperatures as low as 5 °F (−15 °C). It grows best in full sun. C. californica is very drought tolerant, needing only 10 inches (250 mm) of water every year. However, additional watering will encourage C. californica to bloom through summer and again in the fall.