Native to Bolivia, red powderpuff (Calliandra haematocephala) is an evergreen shrub or small tree included in the legume or pea family, Fabaceae, and the mimosa subfamily (Mimosoideae). It typically grows 10 to 15 feet tall in its native habitat and is a very popular flowering shrub in central and southern Florida, where it will survive year around in the ground. Bipinnately compound leaves (5 to 10 pairs of leaflets per pinna) open copper-pink but mature to dark green. Raspberry-like flower buds open to hemispherical red powderpuff flower heads to 3 inches across, consisting of masses of scarlet stamens. Red powderpuff blooms primarily in fall and winter, but sporadic additional blooms may occur throughout the rest of the year. Variations in flower color exist, with some pink and white forms available. The genus name,Calliandra, comes from the Greek words kallos (beauty) andros (stamen).