Throughout summer in San Antonio, when customers come in describing the most beautiful plant they’ve just seen and start describing the vibrant blooms that combine red, orange and yellow in one flower, we lead them straight to our selection of Pride of Barbados, Caesalpinia pulcherrima. We are 99.9% correct in identifying their desired plant. When it’s summertime in San Antonio, this hot weather flowering perennial takes center stage. Let’s take a look at some of the Pride of Barbados care requirements you’ll need to be rewarded with vibrant blooms.
If you’ve never heard of a Pride of Barbados, maybe you’ve heard of a Mexican Red Bird of Paradise? Peacock Flower? Dwarf Poinciana? All of these are monikers for this beautiful plant, but it also could just be called the most stunning, showy, summer-blooming perennial (deciduous shrub) you’ve ever seen!
7 Pride of Barbados Care Requirements and Habits
- Full sun.
- Well-draining soil.
- Average mature growth is 5′ – 8′ tall x 4′ – 5′ wide by late summer.
- Heat and drought tolerant (see note below).
- Pollinator attractor.
- Semi-evergreen perennial here in San Antonio.
- It may lose leaves in 40° or lower temps, and/or freeze to the ground in winter, but generally returns late spring. Even if this plant does not freeze to the ground, it’s best to cut it down to the ground in late winter to achieve a fuller, bushier growth the following spring.
Pride of Barbados, Caesalpinia pulcherrima: Watering
Drought tolerance occurs once roots have sufficient time to develop and get established. Until then, you should water new plants one to two times a week (or possibly more if planting during the summer) and take in consideration any rainfall or lack of rainfall. Once the plant is established, it will be able to bloom and survive with very little supplemental water. However, extended or prolonged periods of drought may require a couple of additional waterings.
Fertilizer Advice:
Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer, or a balanced fertilizer with some extra phosphorous levels, to encourage healthy growth and flowering. Avoid high-nitrogen fertilizers, which can lead to excessive foliage at the expense of blooms. We really like Nelson’s Plant Food: Plumeria and Flowering Tropicals formula. It has a 5-30-5 ratio that gives you a lot of extra phosphorous for those vibrant blooms. For the best care, apply throughout the growing season. Follow the label and always water fertilizer in.
Pride of Barbados: Flowers and Pollinators
While the flowers are the showstopper on a Caesalpinia pulcherrima, the foliage is pretty fabulous too. Long stems boast lush, fern-like foliage that have some spines. The large, crinkled deep orange and yellow flowers are 2-3 inches wide with vibrant red stamens and are extremely showy all summer long and into fall. Long seed pods follow the flowers and turn dark brown and split open when seeds are ripe. This tender perennial is a real stunner in the summer landscape.
The bold, bright colors of this plant’s blooms lure in the pollinators with the promise of a delicious sip. Hummingbirds, butterflies (esp. Giant Swallowtails), and bees love Pride of Barbados and truly appreciate the late nectar source during the heat of summer when many of our other blooming perennials shut down from the heat. This gorgeous specimen is a true Texas Superstar Plant.
Now that you’ve received some Pride of Barbados, Caesalpinia pulcherrima, care requirements, we believe you will be thrilled with a Pride of Barbados. Who knows? Maybe you’ll have the landscape that when someone drives by and sees your Pride of Barbados in bloom, they’ll think, “I have to have that plant now!”
~The Happy Gardener, Lisa Mulroy
I bought one about a year ago and it always blooms its beautiful flowers
That’s awesome! Glad to hear you are enjoying this amazing plant.
does your guidance for pride of Barbados also work for pink plant “Pink Peacock Plant”???
Richard
Hi Richard,
If you mean, Caesalpinia pulcherrima ‘Rosea’, (the pink hybrid of pride of Barbados), then yes. However, there are other pink peacock plants, ie. calatheas, that would have different care.
Is this a good time to plant this plant or is it to late in the season and I am better off to wait until September/October?
I thank you in advance for your reply
Hi Heidi,
Spring into summer is the best time for planting this perennial. We don’t advise this warm weather bloomer to get planted after September for risk of getting freeze damage before it has had a chance to get its roots established. Just keep in mind that watering is crucial for anything panted this time of year, and if we start experiencing those hot, drought-like conditions, you will need to pay even more attention to watering needs
Ms. Mulroy
I have two varieties of yellow one variety of the orange and yellow and the pink peacock plants of the pride of Barbados…
I live in Port Charlotte Florida on the Gulf of Mexico and the Sun is very hot here the plants seem to do extremely well
All three colors of the Bush seem to grow over 7 ft each year
My question is I don’t know how to trim these things I know in Texas you all cut them off at the ground just before it freezes in February possibly but I don’t know what to do here the coldest it ever gets here is 48° and that’s only for three or four hours
How do you suggest that I trim these things I have been cutting them off about 6 in above the ground
By the way the pink the pink peacock is truly the most spectacular out of all the colors
😎❤️
Richard
You really only need to trim back a few feet in spring, if you don’t receive any winter damage, and unless you want a fuller plant the following year. Pride of Barbados does flower on new growth, so prune before early summer.
Mine grew 15 feet high over winter I was gone and never has flowers, even it gets morning sun and a little evening. Full sun I experianced in many fill sun plants stressed hanging leaves,in miami. But can I cut this whole tree down to the ground the trunk is quite thick ,will it sprout out from there or would I kill it? Can I do this now, the rain season is late this year?
Hi Nicole,
Generally Pride of Barbados comes back from the roots, so it would most likely come back. Here in San Antonio, Texas we will cut it back in late winter and it comes back fuller with bushier foliage in very late spring. You might want to consult a local nursery there in Florida with questions pertaining to any rainy season. (We don’t have that here in Texas.)
Wondering if yall had any pride of Barbados that grew pink stems and white leaves? We live in. Louisiana and have a nursery. Colle ted seeds on vacation to San antonoo this summer. 2 of them are pink seemed white leave. Still small but hoping they keep the colors.
Hi Alicia,
I have not seen the white leaves. We sometimes carry Pink Pride of Barbados, but the foliage is green, and it’s the blooms that are pink (but be forewarned, they generally revert back to red/orange after freezing back a couple of years). I’m intrigued.
How can I grow Pride of Barbados for it’s seed pods ?
Hi Jesse,
Just to clarify…you want to grow Pride of Barbados FOR its seed pods, or you want to grow pride of Barbados FROM its seed pods?
Seed pods will naturally develop after flowering commences.
Planting by seed is best when attempted in spring.
Nick or scar dried seeds with sandpaper to allow for better moisture absorption.
Soak seeds in warm water 24-48 hours before planting them about 1/2 inch deep.
Place in a sunny spot and keep soil moist, but not waterlogged while germinating.
Once plants are established you can ease up on the soil moisture and allow soil to dry a little in between watering.
Didn’t I see where there was now a pink blooming variety?
Yes you did! Both locations have a limited supply. I would suggest calling before you visit to make sure they are still in stock on the day you decide to head in! Store Information
Pride of Barbados plant, do these plants repel or tolerate deer?
HI Ric,
Pride of Barbados is on our list of deer resistant plants. They will generally leave it alone, or if they nibble, they will move on from it quickly, and the plant generally rejuvenates. It always depends on the herd, and the drought conditions we face.
Approximately how deep does the root system go?
Hi Ron,
Great question, and I honestly do not know at this time. I am assuming it is a fibrous root system with no destructive roots, and they grow well in pots so roots can be contained. With the plant also being a very drought tolerant plant once established, it also makes me think there is a long enough tap root to search out deep moisture. I am having difficulty finding literature to explain root system. I will keep searching and let you know if I come across anything.
I swiped a couple of seed pods about 3 years ago when I was in Texas. They are growing beautiful in my N Fl. yard!
Enjoy!
Should you clip off expiring blooms to encourage more plumes of blossoms? When?
Hello there,
Clipping off expired blooms can be done throughout the growing season (summer- fall), though it is not really necessary. You may get a few extra blooms, but Pride of Barbados generally keeps pushing flowers out regardless. Pruning is minimal on this plant, only usually needed to train into a tree shape or a bushier form if desired. Pride of Barbados generally freezes back tot he ground over winter and emerges slowly in late spring.
I planted a roughly 5-foot-tall PoB in August. It did great for a couple of months, and even bloomed yellow! Now, all of a sudden, the bark has turned brown and the leaves are yellow and falling off. It’s in full sun. I’d really like to save it, if possible. Thanks for your help.
Hi Fran, can you tell me a general area where you live? Are in you in San Antonio, Texas?
Yes, North Central San Antonio. A couple miles from the Thousand Oaks Rainbow Gardens. Thank you!
I’m thinking it had to do with that first cold snap with wind that we had. They will lose their leaves when exposed to temps in 40s. This is assuming you have kept it watered through the summer drought. Not sure if it is in a pot or in the ground (root hardy in ground, not so much in pots)? Have you looked at the back of leaves to make sure no little pests are sucking out the juices?
Hello! I’m growing some Pride of Barbados from seed. I’m keeping them inside over the winter and some are 5”-6” tall currently, with their main stems starting to look bark-like. How big do seedlings to be to plant them after the last frost in spring? (I’m in Austin.)
Hi Cecily,
You are really looking to have quite a few new leaflets in order to be able to plant, so you are probably well on your way. Keep them nice and warm through the winter, and if you have 3 or 4 leaflets on your transplants by the time the last frost rolls around, you should be good to go. They’ll take a little while to adjust to their new home and they really wait for the true warmer weather to hit before really taking off. Good luck!
Can this be planted in July – marble falls area
Anything planted during the summertime in Texas will need a lot of extra attention to water needs. Although it is a heat-loving plant, its the roots that will struggle to get established during summer. If you can wait until fall or very early next spring it is best. If you decide to plant now, be super diligent about its water needs.
I live in Victoria. Mine, well established, froze back so severely I thought it died, but it’s finally sprouting new growth! It’s June 25th! I’m 70 and it has to be hardy to survive in my yard, lol. I love this beautiful, bushy plant. It does need some space, tho.
Yes, it does like to stretch its legs for sure! I’m so happy yours came back for you! The warm weather will kick its grwoth into gear for sure!
My pride of barbados is getting lot of yellow leaf’s, to much water? This north Houston.
Too much water can lend to yellow leaves for sure. How much are you giving it? How much sunlight does it receive? How large is the plant and is it in the ground or in a pot?
Hello,
I have two large Pride of Barbados plants that I bought at a garden store. They are about 5 feet tall. My backyard gets morning and afternoon sun (facing east) and my front yard gets about 4 to 5 hours of sunlight (faces west). Where do you recommend planting? Do I plant them close together or separate? Like plant each one in a separate corner of my backyard? THANKS A MILLION!
Hi Jessica,
Sorry I am just seeing this. Pride of Barbados love as much sun as they can get, less sun provides less blooms, and you probably don’t want that. I would think about planting them apart as they can grow pretty large at maturity. In your front yard, is the 4-5 hours of sun in the morning or afternoon? If afternoon, sounds like you could plant them in separate corners.
DOES PRIDE OF BABADOS NEED SANDY SOIL
It does not necessarily need sandy soils, but if you have clay soil, you may want to amend it to where it drains a little better, as Pride of Barbados does not tolerate “wet feet” (water standing around its roots). Here’s a link with some more info on the plant. Texas Superstar® Plants: Pride of Barbados.
Hi
Mine are in their first year. Planted in March.
They are doing awesome. Will the come back thicker next year if I prune them back this winter?
It won’t have to do with pruning, and you shouldn’t need to prune them in winter. They will generally die back to the roots over winter and return once the weather warms up again. Don’t give up on them, they are slow returners but when they start growing, they will take off and be fuller than the year before.
When would you want to start pride of Barbados seeds to grow to plant in the spring?
Hi Victoria,
Plant seeds after all danger of frost has passed, as a freeze could kill the viability of the seeds. Keep them inside over the winter. You can rub the seeds between sandpaper a little or nick them with a knife to score them before planting so that moisture can get in. they will begin to come up when it gets warmer.
I planted my Pride of Barbados from seeds in a pot in April here in Athens Greece. They have beautiful leaves, are in full sun but have not produced flowers yet. Do they need to be cut back and pruned? Can I expect flowers this season or next? It’s still very hot here for at least another 2 months.
I am not familiar with your climate in Athens, Greece, but I would not cut back the plant as it flowers on new growth. It is not unheard of for you to get blooms the first year, especially if you have 2 more months of hot weather on the way, but in general it takes one more season to really show.
I am growing a number of pride of barbados from seeds. They are 2 to 3 inches tall now, however I fear if I put them in the sun for long periods of time, the sun will roast them which happened to my first 3 plants. At what point will the small plants be able to handle the direct sun for most of the day? I live in central Texas around San Antonio. Thanks.
During fall, the sun is definitely less intense. I would consider transplanting them when they are about a foot tall, but keep in mind that they will die back to the roots and come back slowly once the weather warms up.
Hello I’m new to gardening so when you say that the plant will freeze to the ground does that mean all the growth and branches from the previous years are dead and will not grow new leaves and flowers on them in the spring?
Hi Steven,
Basic answer is yes, BUT, the plant will put out new growth from the roots. In normal winters, when perennials freeze to the ground here, all the branches and foliage dies back and then you cut it to the ground in late winter/early spring and the plant will re-emerge. Pride of Barbados, specifically, really needs the consistent warm weather to get going again. It’s one of the later plants to emerge, but don’t give up on it too soon. Once the heat kicks it, it really takes off growing. Of course if we have extreme temperatures through winter, you may have to wait a little longer for regrowth, or there is a possibility it could have too much damage. It’s kind of a wait and see at that point.
hope this didn’t confuse you!
I purchased a pink pride of Barbados at Rainbow last summer. It did not bloom last summer and has still not bloomed this summer. It is in full sun and is in a pot. Any thoughts?
Hi Mary,
If it was a pretty young plant, it can take up to 2-2 1/2 years for a real showy bloom. Also, those who have grown it from Rainbow Gardens noticed that the pink variety tended to bloom more in fall, a little later than it’s cousin that blooms in summer. But that is great because pollinators will arrive in fall looking for it!
You can try Bone Meal to encourage blooms, or/and give it a little root stimulator. We bet you’ll get some blooms this fall and next fall it will be a show stopper.
This summer, the flower buds of my Pride of Barbados are turning black and falling off before they bloom. Do you know what could be the cause ?
It sounds like they could be infected with aphids? The honeydew that aphids secrete can turn the blooms black and sooty or sticky. Try a hard blast of water to dislodge and displace aphids. Do this daily for a about a week, as aphids multiply quickly. If that doesn’t work, you can try insecticidal soap or pyrethrin. BE CAREFUL though. Only spray in the early morning hours or late evening, because anything sprayed during the heat right now can cause a chemical burn on your plants.
How far from the wall of the house should I plant Pride of Barbados?
Pride of Barbados can grow 8′-12′ tall by 4′-6′ wide. I would give yourself at least 8′-10′ feet from the wall, but I am not sure what your goal is. Do you want space to walk around it?
Can Pride of Barbados be planted in Kansas or are our Winters too severe for it to come back after dying down in the winter. It is a stunning plant that I would love to grow here!
Hello, I’m growing some right now and want to be prepared when repotting them to larger pot. What kind of soil is recommended? Can i mix potting soil and mulch ? Thank you.
A well-draining, quality potting soil, like FoxFarm Happy Frog potting soil. A layer of mulch can be placed on the top of the soil line. Don’t mix the two products together.
Howdy, I picked up a few 4-5 foot Pride of Barbados from HEB that are in still in a pot. Should I leave them in the pot, or take it out and plant now as we are nearing end of September? I live in Dripping Springs and they have beautiful blooms, I just don’t want to harm the large beauties, thanks. 🙂
I’m a little leery about advising fall planting for Pride of Barbados because I don’t know what kind of winter we will have in Texas this year. You also would most likely lose some of those beautiful blooms in the transplanting process. Could you keep plants in containers, or pot them up to the next size and overwinter your plants in a protected area? If planted now and we have a severe freeze, even if they come back, it will take a while to get going. Spring to early summer is recommended for in ground plantings.
Do you have or when will you have Friday Barbados in the nursery?
Our Bandera location currently has about 4 #3gallon sized Cherry Barbados, and about 4 #4″ sized. Inventory changes quick so if you need one of these held, you can call and put a deposit down.
If you shop at Thousand oaks, let me know and I can check their inventory.
Oops sorry, Chuck,
I just realized you were asking about Pride of Barbados and sent you something about Cherry Barbados. My bad! I sent you another reply about how to make a wishlist at our Bandera location so that we can get you the plants you need closer to the time that you might visit San Antonio.
I live in north Texas and cannot make it to San Antonio for another 6 weeks. is it possible to ship them? The ones I bought from Rainbow Gardens last year did not make it thru the winter, but I think I planted them to late (late June) and they did not have a chance to get established. I did cover them thru winter, but they are not showing any signs of coming back.
Hi Chuck,
Unfortunately we do not have the capability to ship at this time. But what you might want to do is send a text to our Bandera location, stating how many Pride of Barbados you would like and when you would most likely be able to get to the store to pick them up, and we can make a wish list for you. We can then notify you when we have some in stock, and then if you’d like us to hold them for you, you can call back or text and request a call back to pay for the plants and we can hold them for you for about a week. the phone number to text to have a wishlist created is: (210) 680-2394
What a great resource this page is !! I have a 5′ tall PoB in a huge pot and I want to top it off to make it grow with a thicker trunk. I will bring this pot in when weather gets cold here in Dallas.
Is there a better way to accomplish the thicker trunk?
I am a geologist by education and experience, so I am just now (at 72) venturing into the world of plants. thank you – bill crowder
Hi Bill,
You have me looking into this further, but I wanted to make sure you didn’t think you were being ignored. Are you trying to create a tree form with the thicker trunk (this being a multi stemmed plant)?
Thank you for responding. I bought seven PoB plants and one has a single trunk, so I am trying to turn it into a tree. I plan on it being an inside plant in cold weather.
I did not know that the PoB bushes die back every year, like a hibiscus, I guess. I have six of them in the ground in a full sun location, with room to grow 8′ wide, if needed.
I had a Bradford pear in my backyard die after 40 years and I decided to turn that full sun plot into a desert ensemble. I have chalky Austin soil with lots of clay. ( I am a geologist and I try to explain to friends that when chalk is eroded, it only leaves clay and a little sand and organic material behind, the Co2 goes up into the atmosphere.)
In the desert plot, I have planted ocotillo, white and pink yucca and some strange trees called Cerucidium x desert Museum. They are already blooming tiny yellow flowers, so I’ll see if they survive the winters; the tag says hardy to 15 degrees F, so I will bundle them up if we get icy weather.
Thanks again for maintaining your website- bill crowder
We have a manager here that single trunks his Pride of Barbados every year. He trims any growth coming from the base and keeps side branches trimmed, while also removing pods. Yes, ocotillo is generally hardy to 10 degrees, the duration of low temperatures will be of most concern. Sounds like they are pretty well-established so you are on a good path into winter. But yes, better to be prepared with winter protection just in case. What a wonderful landscape you have. Also, thanks for the geology lessons! Best of luck.
Thanks again for your response. I got the idea of a PoB tree when I saw some hydrangea trees in Cookeville Tennessee last year.
The garden shop had Limelight trees by Monrovia, I think, and they were 6-8′ tall with gorgeous blooms. HOWEVER, I did not trust my gardening skills well enough to spend $250 for a Limelight tree and then not be able to keep it alive in 100 degree Texas summers.
I understand that for sure. Hydrangeas, while beautiful, are definitely more work to keep them thriving in our Texas and heat AND our soil!