Emily
Don't know if I can be of much help as I grow them outdoors one as a Bonsai and another as a yard plant a gold leaf form. Seems to be a bunch of different kinds and for the life of me can't remember which I have.Be kind I'm old lol.
They are very easy to grow here and I do nothing special for the yard plant.Don't even water it regularly.
The Bonsai is in compacted shagnum and i keep it regularly watered and in spring give it some 20-20-20. they aren't particularly cold sensitive but i don't like to encourage growth until spring mainly because i want it to stay under two feet.
Not much help I'm afraid Was hoping someone more knowledgeble would chime in.
i have a question for you. Do yours leaves fold at night.?? I've had the bonsai for over 15 years and just now noticed it lol I keep forgetting to check the yard plant for this .
gary

Garyfla,
Thanks so much for your information. My 2 Calliandras have very different leaves--the red powder puff kind has the fern-like leaves you describe...I think they fold up at night!! I'll have to pay more attention to that! The pink one (the emarginata) has singular, ovate leaves. I'll try to post a picture later.
I actually fell in love with this plant while on vacation in FL a few years back. I'm constantly trying for some tropical plants to be part of my summer garden--it always brings comments!
I guess I'll try the middle-of-the-road approach with these two...feeding during growing season, watering when dry.
Thanks again,
Emily

Gary, my Calliandra folds its leaves as the day starts to end. They close as the sun goes down..if we're due for a storm and it's dark, the leaves close. During spring/summer when daylight is longer, leaves remain opened until night. Toni

Hi
Amazing that I could go 15 years and never notice. lol.
I recently brought the bonsai one into the shadehouse to be part of my epi wall. I thought I'd way over watered lol.
Far more subtle than Marantas of Calatheas. They do it all day long and it's extreme so very noticeable.
Ah the wonders of nature!!
gary