This eye-catching tropical shrub is the Chenille Plant, Acalypha hispida. It belongs to the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, which also includes poinsettias, cassava and many other plants that produce a milky or irritating sap. Its precise wild origin is uncertain, but it has long been cultivated throughout tropical regions.

The plant usually grows as a large, many-branched shrub, with broad green leaves that have toothed edges and prominent veins. In a warm climate, it can become several feet tall and may flower over a long season.

Its most memorable feature is the extraordinary flower cluster. The long, soft-looking red tassels hang from the branches and may reach a foot or more in length. They resemble pieces of chenille yarn, which gives the plant its common name.

Each tassel is not a single flower. It is a long cluster made up of many tiny female flowers. The fine, threadlike structures projecting from them create the fuzzy texture. Some cultivated forms have pink, cream or white tassels, although deep red is the color most often associated with the species.

Chenille Plants generally have male and female flowers on separate plants. The ornamental specimens commonly grown in gardens are female plants, selected for their much longer and more attractive flower clusters.

The tassels look soft enough to touch, but visitors should admire them without handling the plant. Like many members of the spurge family, it contains sap that may irritate the skin, and no part should be treated as edible.

The plant grows best in warmth, bright light and moist but well-drained soil. In tropical gardens, its hanging flowers can appear repeatedly and are especially effective when the shrub is planted where the tassels can fall freely over a wall or raised bed.

Chenille Plant is a wonderful example of how botanical beauty does not always come from large petals. Its display is created by thousands of tiny flowers gathered together into long, vivid tassels that move gently in the breeze.