Clianthus maximus

Clianthus puniceus is a spectacular plant all on its own, but what if I told you there was a BIGGER Clianthus, with showier, more deeply colored blooms? Intrigued? You should be! Woody & evergreen, it grows to 10’ – in what dimension we’re not yet sure & like C. puniceus, the ultimate form depends largely on how you train it. This lax-stemmed shrub (or small tree) blooms in early Spring with outrageous clusters of red pea flowers that resemble a pendant bouquet of lobster claws. The long branches are easily trained as an espalier – a perfect way to killclass up any chain-link fence! Rarity factor runs high in this genus - like C. puniceus, this species is endangered in the wild, with only 153 specimens remaining at last survey in 2005. Rich soil is best & though it can be grown in a LARGE pot, we’ve found that the plant grows better in the ground.