Brazilian red cloak

Brazilian red cloak is a lush, fast-growing tropical plant that brightens up the garden with splashes of vibrant colour, writes MARIANNE CANNON

When I was introduced to this plant, as a Growing Friend at The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, my team leader referred to it as “wheelbarrow wheelbarrow”. That’s what he called all plants with names he felt were too long or too difficult to pronounce. It was growing against a north-facing wall, shaded by palms, but also exposed to full sun at various times of the year.

A handsome, tropical-looking plant, Brazilian red cloak (Megaskepasma erythrochlamys) has large, lime-green leaves, and tall, striking arrangements of crimson bracts (up to 30cm long) that mostly hide its small white flowers near the tips. This covering of the flowers by the bracts is how the species name erythroclamys was derived – a linking of the Greek words erythros, meaning red, and chlamys, meaning cloak.

Originating in the rainforests of Venezuela, it is in the same family as Brazilian plume flower (Justicia spp.) and has a similar penchant for spot flowering throughout the year.

The combination of large, soft leaves and long-flowering crimson spires makes this plant a favourite of gardeners in the tropics and subtropics. It will also grow in warm temperate gardens, providing a tropical look, as long as there’s no frost.

position & care

Brazilian red cloak is a fast grower, and is perfect for disguising a garden shed, carport or ugly fence. It grows equally well in sun or semi-shade, and requires little maintenance. The one I grow in Sydney sits alongside a macadamia tree, a tall silky oak (Grevillea robusta) and a paling fence. Although protected here, it has to put up with strong root competition from both trees, and sandy soil. It still does well, although the crimson bracts and leaves are a deeper colour than if it was in full sun. Expect an even better performance in well-drained, humus-rich soil.

Other plants that work well with this shrub include banana, dracaena, golden cane palm, elephant ears (Alocasia spp.), Jacob’s coat (Acalypha wilkesiana) and peacock or zebra plants (Calathea spp.).

Give Brazilian red cloak a hard prune after flowering when it starts to look straggly. To multiply your stock, take a semi-hardwood cutting. Cut a piece the length and thickness of a pencil just below a leaf node. Remove all but the top leaves, and cut the remaining leaves in half. Dip the cutting in rooting hormone powder

(or honey) and push it into the ground in a sheltered spot, or into potting mix.