Gold mine: calliandra Californica

[SinLA]

So i planted this tiny plant about 7 years ago from either Home Depot or Lowe’s, and it’s grown into a monster. Attracts bees like crazy. Never thought about it as tortoise food, but I finally searched it, and it was listed on this old thread as a good option (hope it’s true!)

Food for desert dwelling type of Torts-DT, Marginated, Greeks, Russians, Sullys, etc

This list is quite long. It covers the desert dwelling tortoises like the California DT, Greek, Hermanni and Russians. The Ratios are the same for desert dwelling Torts and of course some of the foods are harder to come by and some I leave out all together. It is just a nice list to pick from...

www.tortoiseforum.org

So I tried a little bit with my VERY picky Russian and he just went CRAZY over it. Flowers and leaves alike, even though it looks pretty nasty to eat texture-wise. He Couldn’t get enough of it. So excited as this thing grows super fast and I’m always trimming it back anyway.

Highly recommend if it’s good for your climate…

 

[Krista S]

That’s a cool looking plant. I don’t believe I’ve ever seen that before. That‘s a big bonus that your tortoise loves it too!

 

[EricW]

What is the name of the plant?

 

[SinLA]

Sorry it’s in the title: also known as Baja Fairy Duster, apparently,

calliandra Californica​

 

[EricW]

Sorry it’s in the title: also known as Baja Fairy Duster, apparently,

calliandra Californica​

My bad, I stopped reading title at Gold Mine lol. I know fairy dusters but not that one, so I couldn't pin it. Thanks.

 

[Tom]

I've never heard of this one. It looks kind of like bottle brush which is toxic, but the leaves are clearly different. I'm going to have to look into this one. Thank you.

 

[SinLA]

Look at the thread I linked up top. It’s old but from a member here…

 

[Tom]

Look at the thread I linked up top. It’s old but from a member here…

I remember her. I think I met her in person a time or two.

I'm pretty sure I have this plant at my ranch. I didn't know what it was, and it appears to just pop up and grow on its own naturally. If I'm right, it grows very slowly and sparsely, so that makes me think it might be something else.

If I don't have it, I want it. I started bee keeping, so it is double good for me.

 

[SinLA]

I’m not sure how it propagates but happy to bring you branches in exchange for those cactus you gave me. That said Green Thumb or the like would probably have or know…

 

[EricW]

On the provided link, I see natal plum. I knew the fruit was safe, but thought the plant was toxic since they say it is toxic for humans. Hmmm, dwarf natal plum might be a nice addition for me.

 

[SinLA]

On the provided link, I see natal plum. I knew the fruit was safe, but thought the plant was toxic since they say it is toxic for humans. Hmmm, dwarf natal plum might be a nice addition for me.

Yeah I don't know how accurate that whole list is. I didn't know California Poppies were safe (i had assumed not since I think of poppies at toxic, but guessing they are not the same as what they use to make opium out of - otherwise they wouldn't grow so freely along the highways here, LOL).

I am hoping this is safe! guess I'll find out if its not 8-(

 

[Tom]

No such luck for me. I have this plant all over my ranch, but it is something different that the subject of the OP. It looks similar though...




I tried it on plantnet and got the same answer for the leaf and the flower:

 

[SinLA]

yea bummer, that’s apparently super toxic to animals:

Erythrostemon gilliesii - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[RosemaryDW]

yea bummer, that’s apparently super toxic to animals:

Erythrostemon gilliesii - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Agreed. We don't know about reptile toxicity but what it can do to mammals is enough even I wouldn't feed it, which is saying a lot.

It's very unusual looking and I loved seeing it around when I was in a drier part of California.

 

[RosemaryDW]

Yeah I don't know how accurate that whole list is. I didn't know California Poppies were safe (i had assumed not since I think of poppies at toxic, but guessing they are not the same as what they use to make opium out of - otherwise they wouldn't grow so freely along the highways here, LOL).

I am hoping this is safe! guess I'll find out if its not 8-(

Oh, I'm not sure you got an answer to this but it's definitively a recommended food for desert tortoises.

And yeah, California poppies are in the same plant family as every other poppy, including the one used for opium. Russians eat a little poppy in the native environment. Not a lot, but some. Decorative (Asian) poppy is one of the few foods I've fed my captive Russian she didn't hesitate over. Not even a sniff, just bit in. She'd clearly had it before.* Just like she's had many of the buttercups some sources aggressively cite as toxic; it's a staple plant in the native diet.

I'm not suggesting you throw a pile of opium poppies in your enclosure! I just think we can do as much or more harm blindly accepting lists of "bad" foods. A bag of spring mix is safe, but it's not what I'd want to feed my tortoise if I had other choices.

*She has zero interest in California poppy, ha. Not even the flowers.

 

[SinLA]

Yeah it happens I don’t have any of those anyway, I was just surprised…