Introduction
The plant Justicia brandegeeana belongs to the family Acanthaceae and is a popular ornamental plant and is native to Mexico. Another interesting name for this plant is the Shrimp plant. This plant is known as the shrimp plant because of its shrimplike spikes of pinkish or yellow bracts for almost most of the years. It is an evergreen perennial shrub and a common ornamental that thrives in the shade in tropical areas.
Botanical description
Height
This plant generally grows in clumps and reached around 91 cm in length and 100 cm in width. As they grow in clumps therefore they make a good spread or cover a wide chunk of land to form larger colonies (1).
Appearance
The stems of the Shrimp plant are weak as they bend due to the spikes. the spikes are on the tip of almost every seems and are dark red in color and have a white flower. The flowers bloom continuously throughout the year.
Leaves
The leaves are oval in structure and light green in color and 5-8 cm long.
Shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeeana) care
Light
Shrimp plant loves bright light with some direct sun. And hence is a good window plant. The vibrant color of the spikes keeps the plant under the light.
Temperature
Needs a good spring temperature but not below 7 degrees Celcius. A colder temperature is not good for the growth of this plant.
Water
Keep the plant evenly moist. Avoid giving water during the winter or water only if requires.
Pruning
The stems of this plant as I mentioned above are quite weak. thus regular pruning is required to maintain the bushy appearance of this plant.
Soil
Standard all-purpose soil is good enough for its proper growth and development. Fertilizers are not required but repotting annually helps in the good and healthy growth of this plant.
Shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeeana) propagation
The propagation of this plant is done by stem cutting.
Q&A
1. How to care for shrimp plants?
The care for this plant is relatively easy, water regularly and keep it under bright light with some degree of direct sunlight. And last but not the least, pruning and potting once a year.
2. How to care for a shrimp plant?
Shrimp plants are almost hardy in nature and little but regular care can give this plant a long and healthy life. Just watering regularly and pruning will be enough for proper care of his plant.
3. How to propagate shrimp plant?
The propagation of shrimp plants is from cutting.
4. When to prune a shrimp plant?
When the stem becomes too leggy and with very few leaves and almost no inflorescence or spike on the top then it will be the best time to prune this plant.