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Annual Plant With Pink & Fuzzy Blooms
Annual Plant With Pink & Fuzzy Blooms. Acalypha pendula, or the Dwarf Chenille Plant, is known for its pink and fuzzy blooms that resemble caterpillars. This is an annual plant and although it can thrive in the house, it will not live past the regular growing season indoors. This small plant has many uses both indoors and out.
Acalypha pendula, or the Dwarf Chenille Plant, is known for its pink and fuzzy blooms that resemble caterpillars. This is an annual plant and although it can thrive in the house, it will not live past the regular growing season indoors. This small plant has many uses both indoors and out.
Characteristics
The Dwarf Chenille plant is small and is considered to be a groundcover plant. Its foliage is medium to dark green and the leaves are quite small. The foliage greatly resembles the foliage of the strawberry plant. When new pink plumes are going to form, small tendrils will appear near leaf junctions and slowly grow into a plume. The plumes will be profuse on a plant that is well fertilized and sparse on one that is not. This plant is poisonous to house pets and should not be kept where pets are present.
Care
This plant requires regular watering and care. The soil should never be allowed to dry out and it will need to be fertilized every two weeks. If planted outside in a bed, it will need to be watered daily. In containers or indoors, monitor the moistness of the soil and water as needed. The Dwarf Chenille plant prefers full sun but can still thrive in partial shade so long as it receives five to six hours of direct sun light each day.
Hardiness
This annual plant is somewhat hardy and will produce profusely when well cared for. It is hardiest in USDA zones 10 to 11, but can be planted as far north as zone 4. The plant will begin blooming in early spring and will continue to produce plumes of flowers throughout the growing season until the first frost. In dry areas, consider raising this plant indoors as it does not like dry climates and prefers moist heat and humidity.
Uses
The profuse blooming nature of the Dwarf Chenille makes it ideal for hanging baskets. The tendrils will fall over the side of the basket and the blooms will hang downwards. This plant also does very well in pots and containers inside or out. In zones 10 to 11 it can be planted as a border or groundcover. Typically, the plant spreads about 8 inches, but with regular fertilization it can spread to 12 inches across or more.
