Chenille Plant

Description

Acalypha hispida, the chenille plant, is a flowering shrub which belongs to the family Euphorbiaceae, the subfamily Acalyphinae, and the genus Acalypha. Acalypha is the fourth largest genus of the Euphorbiaceae family, and contains many plants native to Hawaii and Oceania. This plant is also known as the Philippines Medusa, red hot cat's tail and fox tail in English, pokok ekor kucing in Malay, Rabo de Gato in Portuguese, Tai tượng đuôi chồn in Vietnamese, poochavaal in Malayalam and shibjhul in Bengali. Acalypha hispida is cultivated as a house plant because of its attractiveness and brilliantly colored, furry flowers. The Latin specific epithet hispida means “bristly”, referring to the pendent flowers which vaguely resemble brushes.