On this particular visit to Sydney’s botanic gardens in May, I entered a different gate to the usual. The Brazilian red cloak (Megaskeprasma erythrochlamys) was the first plant that I came across. I really enjoyed looking at the very showy flowers. I hope that you can see why. The binomial name has the following meanings:
- Megaskeprasma-comes from two Greek words, ‘mega’ which means large and ’skeprasma’, meaning coverings, referring to the bracts.
- Erythrochlamys-another Greek word that means red cloak after the bright red bracts.
The Brazilian red cloak is an evergreen, woody shrub, reaching up to 2.5 metres in both height and spread. It’s native to South American rainforests, in the countries of Venezuela, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and El Salvador. It belongs in the Acanthaceae family.
The ovate leaves have prominent veins. They can reach up to thirty centimetres long. They are a lovely mid-green colour that contrasts with the flowers.
While the leaves are lovely, the flowers are the starts of the show. The red part of the flowers are bracts which are modified leaves that are there to protect the flower buds as they form. The actual flowers are white, tubular and have two lips. The flowers attract birds and butterflies. The flower spikes are columnar to slightly pyramidal in shape, reaching up to thirty centimetres long, while each individual flower can be eight centimetres long.
The Brazilian red cloak can be propagated from both seed and cuttings. Sow seed in spring at 18-21 degrees Celsius. Softwood cuttings can be taken in early summer, while semi-ripe cuttings can be taken in late summer with bottom heat.
To grow the Brazilian red cloak in your garden, you need to have fertile, humus-rich soil. Regular watering is needed during the warmer months. Deadhead spent flowers frequently to encourage more flowering. While the Brazilian red cloak is happy in full sun and semi-shade, it flowers more in full sun.
Finally, there is only one thing to add about this particular shrub-I would love to have this plant in my garden. It is the colour of the flower spike and the contrast with leaves. I would use it along a boundary fence for a bit of privacy, as well as for the colour.
https://plantfinder.mobot.org/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=e966
https://plantfinder.mobot.org/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=275292
Brickell, C. (Editor-In-Chief), 2016, 4th Edition, Royal Horticultural Society A-Z Encyclopaedia of Garden Plants, Dorling Kindersley, London