There’s no doubt about it. The Carphalea Kirondron clearly deserves its other name – the Flaming Beauty.
This plant has been lauded as a traffic-stopper. In the past, I too have been guilty of slowing down to a crawl to admire this flamboyant beauty.
Imagine a plant smothered with masses of brilliant red flowers.
That what the Carphalea Kirondron appears to be like; except for the fact that the flowers are actually inconspicuous amd white while the calyxes steal the show with their blaze of red.
These clusters of calyxes often measure up to 25 cm across. But it’s not the colour or the size of the clusters that amazes me. It’s the fact that the clusters seem to last for months on the plant and never seem to fall off.
Those of us who have swept up the fallen blooms of the bougainvillea or quisqualis indica will appreciate the fact that the Carphalea Kirondron doesn’t believe in messing up the lawn.
After a few months on the plants, the spent clusters turn a dull red, then brown. It’s then that we snip the cluster off. No mess. No stress.
The inimitable Carphalea Kirondron is good for any garden which has ample sunshine, warmth and humidity. Thankfully our garden seems to suit it fine.
Mum bought three small plants a few years ago. For the past couple of years, these perennial plants have been the garden’s crowning glory and have been faithfully providing a vivid splash of red.
The next time you spot a flash of red as you drive past a garden, take another look. It might just be a Flaming Beauty.
Care and cultivation: well-drained soil; full sun; water moderately; Propagate using cuttings (tricky)
You have a beautiful specimen with such brilliant large blooms.
Enjoy seeing this ixora-like plant too. Remembered there were large clumps of them near the Outram MRT station. For all the flamboyance, they are relatively fuss free and a sure bloomer. They are not as susceptible to aphids as the ixoras. Hope my plant can be as impressive as yours!
thanks, planter. my mum dotes on this plant. 🙂
This is such a “poisonous” blog… Of course, I had to do a search immediately and found a place where they sell Carphalea (amongst others tempting plants…).
i am so glad … i mean, i’m glad that you found a source for it! 😛
it’s also nice to know that the blog is being read and is deemed ‘poisonous’! thanks, solanum 😀 😀
This plant looks like Ixora. The red flowers are so attractive. Good to know that they are not messy. What a wonderful plant!
It’s taller than I am, Stephanie. 🙂
hi everybody..thanks to typicalgardener for sharing the info of this plant..i dont know where to looking up for the details of its tissue cuture method or procedures. i havent yet found any journal or articles that relate to carphaela kironron..please if anyone can help me??