This tree grows to about 6 m (20 ft) and has pinnate compound leaves and flowers with a boss of prominent reddish-purple stamens.

It is not very drought-tolerant, and the above-ground parts can be short-lived in case of severe drought lasting many months, but the roots regularly resprout.

However, it is not having many features of typical invasive trees and naturally grows in disturbed areas, not maturing forests.

[3] The canopy is dense with alternate, petiolate, bipinnately compound leaves of 10–28 cm lengths,[1] which are folding together at night.

[2] The genus Calliandra belongs to the family Fabaceae (Leguminosae), subfamily Mimosoideae and tribe Ingae.

Calliandra is a large genus with about 145 species, mainly from South and North America but also from Madagascar, India and Africa.

[5] Calliandra calothyrsus is semi-deciduous in regions with long dry seasons whereas it is evergreen in humid climates.

Within the first year Calliandra flowers and bears fruits and after 12 months the plants can be 3 to 5 m tall and 5 cm in diameter at stump height.

Further Pachnoda ephippiata might feed on flowers, fruits and foliage, what causes floral abortion and poor seed production.

Fungal attacks can cause serious damages on Calliandra calothyrsus when the plants are cut back too low prior to rainfall or during the wet season.

[2] Calliandra calothyrsus can be used to sustain soil fertility and reduce the need for shifting cultivation and forest degradation in southern Cameroon, but improved low-cost methods for establishment by Mandal and Nielsen (2004, the ref.

list) were found necessary for farmers' acceptance [15] Calliandra calothyrsus is a fast growing tree[2] that has a potential for reforestation in the Tropics.

[2] Calliandra leaves, pods[16] and young shoots provide a highly valuable protein source for animals.

[6] In Uganda, Calliandra calothyrsus is mostly mixed with other fodder for cows (grasses, tree species...).

[14] Calliandra calothyrsus leaves do not contain any toxic compounds[7] but high condensed tannins concentrations has been reported,[5] which could limit the digestibility for ruminants.

[7] The condensed tannin content varies from traces to high with accessions and varies with season too; a high content has even been combined with high protein and dry-matter content in one accession; also, the ratio to proteins matters as well as the composition of the condensed tannins[17] It has been shown that moderate condensed tannin concentrations (2-4% dry matter) can enhance the protein metabolism for ruminants.

[7] Some beneficial effects of using Calliandra calothyrsus as fodder have been observed in Uganda, where farmers noticed an increase in milk production.

[2] The drying process is faster because Calliandra calothyrsus has already a lower moisture content (9-12%) than other tree species (13.5%).

[5] Calliandra calothyrsus might have a huge potential use in the Tropics which are the regions where problems linked to agricultural products are growing.

[6] Nevertheless, Calliandra calothyrsus is eaten by livestock, is not thorny, does not shoot from roots, is not invasive in forests, and has a promising future in the Tropics.