Acalypha californica facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Acalypha californica
Scientific classification
Genus:	Acalypha
Species:	californica

The Acalypha californica is a beautiful flowering shrub. It is commonly called the California copperleaf. Sometimes, people use an older name, Pringle three-seeded mercury.

This plant is special because it is the only Acalypha species that grows naturally in California. You can find many of these plants in the hills of San Diego County. It is a key part of the chaparral plant community. This community is a type of natural area with many shrubs and small trees.

Discover the California Copperleaf

The California copperleaf plant has leaves that are hairy and juicy. They also have small teeth along their edges. Even though its name includes "copperleaf," the leaves are actually light green. They are never a copper color.

How Its Flowers Grow

Each flower of the California copperleaf has two main parts. One part is called the staminate part. This is the male part of the flower. It looks like a long spike. This spike is covered with tiny red and pink bracts. Bracts are like small, modified leaves.

The other part is the pistillate part. This is the female part of the flower. It sits at the bottom of the spike. This part is shaped like a cup. It is made of green bracts. Inside this cup is the ovary, which holds the seeds.

See also

In Spanish: Hoja de cobre de California para niños