Justicia brandegeeana
| Habit | shrub
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|---|---|---|
| Height: | ⇕ | 36 in"in" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 36. |
| Width: | ⇔ | 26 in"in" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 26. |
| Lifespan: | ⌛ | perennial, annual |
| Origin: | ✈ | From Mexico |
| Exposure: | ☼ | sun |
|---|---|---|
| Features: | ✓ | evergreen, flowers |
| USDA Zones: | 9 to 11 | |
| Flower features: | ❀ | white |
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| Justicia brandegeeana Wassh. & L.B.Sm. | ||||||||||||||
Justicia brandegeeana (Mexican Shrimp Plant or Shrimp Plant; syn. Beloperone guttata Brandeg.) is an evergreen perennial shrub in the genus Justicia, native to Mexico.
It grows to 1 m tall (rarely more) with spindly limbs. The leaves are oval, green, 3-7.5 cm long. The flowers are white, extending from red bracts which look a bit like a shrimp, hence the shrub's common name, shrimp flower.
The species is named after the American botanist Townshend Stith Brandegee (1843-1925); the scientific name is commonly seen mis-spelled "brandegeana".
Cultivation and uses
The shrimp plant, a common ornamental shrub, thrives in the shade in tropical areas and can be propagated by stem cuttings. It does best in well-drained sandy or loamy soil, but is generally low maintenance and drought-tolerant. The flowers fade somewhat in the full sun.
The flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. A number of cultivars are available, with different flower bract colors, including yellow, pink and dark brick-red.
It is naturalized in Florida.