Brazilian Red Cloak

Brazilian Red Cloak (Megaskepasma erythrochlamys) delivers the longest run of red in a tropical garden. It grows to about 2.5m tall and 1.5m wide, and the crimson flower heads are bracts rather than petals, so they hold their colour for months rather than days. Small white flowers open from between them as the display runs on.

Why you'll love it

• Colour that lasts a season. The red bracts persist for months, giving you far more value than a shrub with a two week flowering window.
• Quick to fill a gap. Fast growing in warm gardens, so a single 300mm plant becomes a substantial shrub within a couple of seasons.
• Birds and butterflies work it. Honeyeaters take the nectar and butterflies visit the open flowers through the warm months.
• Handles heat and humidity. Wet summers and long humid afternoons suit it, which rules out a lot of showier competition.

Where it works best

Informal screening. Plant 1.2m apart for a dense screen. At 2.5m it covers a low fence line or hides a service area with colour instead of plain green.

Mass planting. A run of three or five along a shaded boundary reads as one broad block of red, which works better than a single plant lost in a bed.

Feature planting. Set one against dark foliage or a pale wall where the bracts have something to contrast against.

Growing Brazilian Red Cloak in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to light shade in tropical and subtropical gardens only. It is frost tender, so anywhere that dips below freezing will burn it back. In marginal areas, a warm sheltered courtyard or a large pot that can be moved gives it a chance.

Soil. Rich, free draining soil with compost worked through. It resents sitting wet in cold weather. Mulch 75mm deep, kept off the stems.

Water and feed. Keep the water up through the warm months, when it is growing hardest, and ease off over winter. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again after the main flush keeps the bracts coming.

Pruning. Cut it back hard in late winter, taking about a third off the plant. This is the difference between a bushy shrub covered in colour and a leggy one with bare ankles.

What to expect when it arrives

It is sold in a 300mm pot, which is an established plant already carrying branches and often some colour. That size settles in quickly and is ready to go straight into the ground or a large container.

Soft tropical foliage can look tired after transit, and a few dropped leaves are normal. Plant it, water it in well, and expect new growth within three to four weeks in warm weather. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Designing a tropical garden that looks lush year round
• Browse tropical garden plants
• Bird attracting plants for the garden
• Plants suited to subtropical climates

Common questions

How long does the colour actually last?

The bracts are modified leaves rather than petals, so they stay red for two to three months at a time. The true white flowers that emerge between them are brief, but the red display carries on regardless.

Will it grow in Melbourne or Adelaide?

Not in the open garden. It is frost tender and needs tropical or subtropical conditions. In cooler southern cities it can only work in a heated glasshouse or a very protected warm courtyard.

How far apart for a screen?

Plant 1.2m apart. Closer spacing crowds the base and reduces flowering, while wider spacing leaves gaps you will notice all winter.

Why has mine gone leggy?

Almost always a missed prune. Without a hard cut back in late winter it stretches for light and drops its lower leaves. Take a third off the plant and it will reshoot from the older wood.