Acalypha californica (California Copperleaf)

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Acalypha californica
California Copperleaf

In the garden | Photographed in February

Photographed in the wild in December

CHARACTERISTICS

Height: 1.5 - 3 ft

Width: 5 ft

Hardiness: Very hardy

Natural Setting: Inland it most often grows in crumbling granite rocks, ledges and cliff faces, though it occasionally grows in sand washes. Along the coast it often found near Oak Woodlands.

Plant Type: Shrub

Dormancy: Evergreen

Form: Mounding

Growth Rate: Slow

Flower Season: Winter/spring

Soil: Adaptable, tolerates slow draining

Sun Exposure: Full sun to partial shade

Water Requirements: Low to moderate once established

Summer Dry: No

Cold Tolerance: Tolerates cold to 30° F

OVERVIEW

A beautiful red-twigged shrub that is underused in native landscaping. Blooms most of the year if watered periodically.²

ANECDOTAL EXPERIENCES

• Don’t judge them by how they look in the pots, they don’t like being in pots. Once planted they flourish.

• Blooms early near the coast

• Has a mounding habit so pruning is not super necessary, a good low maintenance plant.

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