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| Category: Shrub |
| Family: Amaranthaceae (Amaranths) |
| Origin: Brazil (South America) |
| Flower Color: NA |
| Bloomtime: Not Significant |
| Height: 2-3 feet |
| Width: 2-3 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Medium Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 30-32° F |
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IIresine herbstii 'Brilliantissima' (Bloodleaf) - A fast growing small shrub typically growing to 3 to 4 feet tall by as wide but able to grow a bit larger with semi-succulent cerise-colored stems and red oblanceolate leaves that are marked with lighter veins. Very tropical looking! Plant in full sun to light shade and give regular irrigation. Hardy to around 30° F This plant is used as an annual or container plant but will over winter in mild climates where it looks best if cut back in late winter and can be kept smaller and more compact by regular pinching of new growth. We received a plant with the variety name 'Acuminata' and it does indeed have acuminate leaves that are different from the more rounded leaves of the species. We have also purchased this plant as 'Brilliantissima' and there are also cultivar names such as 'Formosa' and 'Wallisii' that may be used for this plant. This plant comes tropical South America and was thought to originally have been collected in Brazil. The name for the genus comes from the Greek word eiresione meaning "a wreath" or "staff of wood wrapped in wool" ('erios' means "wool") in reference to the wooly hairs on the calyces. The specific epithet was authored in 1864 by William Jackson Hooker, the first director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, to honor Hermann Carl Gottlieb Herbst. Herbst was director of the Rio de Janeiro Botanic Gardens in Brazil but had worked at Kew when he introduced this plant to English gardens. Other common names include Beefsteak Plant and Chicken Gizzard Plant.
This information about Iresine herbstii 'Brilliantissima' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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