Identity crisis ..
That’s what some plants suffer when viewed from a distance. And red, being so conspicuous always catches the eye. Just another poinsettia ….. in December ? Wait a MINUTE ! A poinsettia with a strangely lax habit and the inflo’s not terminal on branch ends …. THAT is no poinsettia, that is a Quisqualis pseudomussiendifolia ‘Red Riot’ of course it is ..!
Now, some you will know Quisqualis from its cousin the Rangoon Creeper but this is less a climber or a shrub and really more a climber/shrub. So useful to lean over fencing for its bower habit. If planted out as part of a mixed shrub combination in a west facing aspect like mine here at “Sea-Changer”, its open habit will probably reach 2 to 3m and the more heat the better.
As for the “flowers”, like the poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) the showy “petals” are really modified leaves. You can see the tiny flower tubes opening white from the centre of each bract cluster. Beautiful seen from above viewed from decks or step out patios and makes a thrilling blaze against the dark glossy greens of viburnum odouritissimum, gardenia, michelia figo, rothmania or posoqueria the Sth American Needle Bush.
