Canary flora > Exotic and ornamental
Acalypha wilkesiana
Acalypha wilkesiana Müll.Arg.
Copperleaf, Joseph's coat, Fire-dragon
Semi-woody shrub, perennial, between 1-3 m tall, dioecious, with young
stems tomentose, and very dense and showy foliage, which bring great
beauty to the plant.
Its leaves are very variable in shape and color, depending on the many varieties of this species.
They develop clustered at the end of the twigs, and are large, 5-20 cm long, elliptic to broadly ovate, with a rounded to acute base, serrated margin and acuminate apex. Initially mottled green, becoming coppery green, purple, yellow or orange, reaching at the end of their vegetative fullness the coppery red hue that characterizes them.
Its leaves are very variable in shape and color, depending on the many varieties of this species.
They develop clustered at the end of the twigs, and are large, 5-20 cm long, elliptic to broadly ovate, with a rounded to acute base, serrated margin and acuminate apex. Initially mottled green, becoming coppery green, purple, yellow or orange, reaching at the end of their vegetative fullness the coppery red hue that characterizes them.
Its tiny flowers, of reddish tones, are grouped in small terminal
spikes: the hanging male ones, and the female ones in shorter spikes
hidden among the leaves.
Flowering usually occurs during the summer, sometimes extending into late autumn.
The fruits are hard capsules, brown to almost black in color, containing tiny hard seeds.
Flowering usually occurs during the summer, sometimes extending into late autumn.
The fruits are hard capsules, brown to almost black in color, containing tiny hard seeds.
It can be easily reproduced by woody cuttings provided with heel that
favors rooting, being the best time to do so in late winter and spring.
It is a very fast growing plant.
It is a very fast growing plant.
