Brazilian Red Cloak is the epitome of tropical! It is a large bush with huge leaves and gorgeous red flower spikes. It blooms throughout the year and will even bloom in the shade. The flowers also attract hummingbirds. Brazilian Red Cloak can be trimmed easily and is overall a very easy plant to grow.
How to care for Brazilian Red Cloak
Light. Does best with morning sun and some afternoon shade. Full afternoon sun can make it wilt and bleach the red bracts.
Water. Keep the soil evenly moist but well drained, especially while it settles in.
Soil and feeding. It prefers moist, humus-rich, well-drained soil.
Size. Grows fast to about 8 ft tall and wide. Use it as a specimen, informal hedge or screen.
Pruning. Cut stems back to shape it, keep it bushy and hold it in bounds. Cuttings root easily.
Problems to watch. No serious problems, but mealybugs and scale can appear. Treat them with Insecticidal Soap.
Good to know. It blooms on and off all year, most heavily from late fall into early summer. Frost can damage it, but it usually grows back. Hummingbirds visit the flowers, which also last well when cut.
Sources: UF/IFAS Extension Charlotte County: Brazilian red cloak - landscape plant extraordinaire · Missouri Botanical Garden Plant Finder: Megaskepasma erythrochlamys
