Justicia brandegeeana

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Justicia brandegeeana
Justicia brandegeeana bokeh.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Acanthaceae
Genus: Justicia
Species:
J. brandegeeana
Binomial name
Justicia brandegeeana
Synonyms

Beloperone guttata Brandeg. [1]

Justicia brandegeeana, the Mexican shrimp plant, shrimp plant or false hop, [2] is an evergreen shrub in the genus Justicia of the acanthus family Acanthaceae, native to Mexico, [1] and also naturalized in Florida.

Contents

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 somewhat like shrimps, hence the common name "shrimp flower".

The specific epithet is named for the American botanist Townshend Stith Brandegee (1843–1925). It is sometimes misspelled "brandegeana".

Description

Justicia brandegeeana is a bushy evergreen shrub growing to 100 cm (39 in) tall by 60–90 cm (24–35 in) broad. The stems and leaves are downy. [2] The leaves are variegated and usually grow in clusters on the branches. As the plant receives more sun, the amount of creamy white on the speckled leaves will increase, and vice versa. The flowers emerge from bracts that form off the stems. The bracts start out white, but with more sun exposure they turn anywhere from pale pink to deep salmon. A chain of bracts will continue to grow until it falls off in most cases; thus the chains can grow anywhere from a few centimetres to nearly 30 cm (1 ft) in length. Flowers emerge from the bracts; usually they are long, thin, and white with speckled maroon throats.

Blooming continues for months once it has begun, then halts for a short period before starting again. The flowers attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Pollination is usually by hummingbirds

The family Acanthaceae is in the major group Angiosperms (flowering plants). The genus Justicia is in the family Acanthaceae. [3] The genus Justicia comprises about 600 species. [4] Research has been done on the phytochemical components of the numerous Justicia species, showing that they possess antitumor, antiviral and antidiabetic activity. [4] J. brandegeena has not been a topic of phytochemical research until recently.

Pests and diseases

Spider mites and whiteflies may be a problem.

Nematodes

Root Rot: Fungal diseases that cause decay and rotting of the roots and premature plant death

Fungal leaf spotting or rust may afflict plants. [5]

Cultivation

The shrimp plant thrives in the shade in tropical areas. It does best in well-drained sandy or loamy soil, but is generally low maintenance and drought-tolerant. As it dislikes temperatures below 7 °C (45 °F), in cooler temperate areas it is best grown under glass, [2] where it is excellent as a potted houseplant, owing to its ability to tolerate low light and some neglect. Fertilization is not required.

The shape is generally long and spindly. If trimmed back regularly, it can maintain a bushy habit and will not need support. If the branches are allowed to grow long, they will become unable to support themselves and sag towards the ground.

Numerous cultivars are available, with different flower bract colors, including yellow, pink and dark brick-red.

It can be propagated by stem cuttings.

This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. [6] [7]

In terms of maintenance, if Justicia brandegeeana is not kept well trimmed it can become a messy shrub. Also, if left alone can grow over 24 inches tall. It therefore requires trimming back annually if it is to hold its shape and retain a desirable size. This shrub is expected to last for 10 to 20 years. [8]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Lavandula stoechas</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Thymus serpyllum</i> Species of plant

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<i>Justicia</i> (plant) Genus of flowering plants

Justicia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae. It is the largest genus within the family, encompassing around 700 species with hundreds more as yet unresolved. They are native to tropical to warm temperate regions of the Americas, India and Africa. The genus serves as host to many butterfly species, such as Anartia fatima. Common names include water-willow and shrimp plant, the latter from the inflorescences, which resemble a shrimp in some species. The generic name honours Scottish horticulturist James Justice (1698–1763). They are closely related to Pachystachys.

<i>Salvia spathacea</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Aphelandra</i> Species of plant

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<i>Tetrapanax</i> Family of shrubs

Tetrapanax papyrifer, the rice-paper plant, is an evergreen shrub in the family Araliaceae, the sole species in the genus Tetrapanax. The specific epithet is frequently misspelled as "papyriferum", "papyriferus", or "papyrifera". It is endemic to Taiwan, but widely cultivated in East Asia and sometimes in other tropical regions as well. The species was once included in the genus Fatsia as Fatsia papyrifera.

Shrimp plant List of plants with the same or similar names

Shrimp plant can refer to two plants in Acanthaceae:

<i>Pachystachys lutea</i> Species of plant

Pachystachys lutea, known as the golden shrimp plant or lollipop plant, is a tropical, soft-stemmed evergreen shrub between 0.5 and 2.5 meters tall, native to Peru. The zygomorphic, long-throated, short-lived white flowers emerge sequentially from overlapping bright yellow bracts on racemes that are produced throughout the warm months.

<i>Justicia floribunda</i> Species of shrub

Justicia floribunda is a species of flowering plant in the acanthus family Acanthaceae, native to Brazil.

<i>Plumbago auriculata</i> Species of carnivorous plant

Plumbago auriculata, the cape leadwort, blue plumbago or Cape plumbago, is a species of flowering plant in the family Plumbaginaceae, native to South Africa.

<i>Fittonia albivenis</i> Species of plant

Fittonia albivenis is a species of flowering plant in the family Acanthaceae, native to the rainforests of Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and northern Brazil. An evergreen perennial, it is notable for its dark green foliage with strongly contrasting white or red veins. It is commonly called nerve plant or mosaic plant. In temperate regions where the temperature falls below 10 °C (50 °F) it must be grown as a houseplant.

<i>Teucrium fruticans</i> Species of flowering plant

Teucrium fruticans is a species of flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae, native to the western and central Mediterranean. Growing to 1 m (3 ft) tall by 4 m (13 ft) wide, it is a spreading evergreen shrub with arching velvety white shoots, glossy aromatic leaves and pale blue flowers in summer.

<i>Hypoestes phyllostachya</i> Species of flowering plant

Hypoestes phyllostachya, the polka dot plant, is a species of flowering plant in the family Acanthaceae, native to South Africa, Madagascar, and south east Asia. The spots often merge into larger areas of colour.

<i>Eranthemum pulchellum</i> Species of flowering plant

Eranthemum pulchellum, the blue eranthemum or blue sage, is a species of flowering plant in the acanthus family Acanthaceae, native to the Himalayas, western China, India and Nepal. A strongly branched evergreen shrub, it is popular with gardeners because of the spikes of flowers that are bright gentian blue - an unusual color in the tropics. The flowers appear from green-and-white veined bracts that remain after the blooms fall, forming a column several inches long. The hairy leaves are large and dark green. A sprawling shrub which may reach a metre or more in height, E. pulchellum is usually kept lower and bushier through pruning. Light shade is preferred in a garden; in a greenhouse it needs warm conditions. It is easily propagated from cuttings.

<i>Pachystachys</i> Genus of flowering plants

Pachystachys is a genus of 12 species of flowering plants in the family Acanthaceae, native to rainforest in the Caribbean and Central and South America. They are evergreen perennials and shrubs bearing prominent terminal spikes of flowers with brightly coloured bracts.

<i>Crassula ovata</i> Species of succulent

Crassula ovata, commonly known as jade plant, lucky plant, money plant or money tree, is a succulent plant with small pink or white flowers that is native to the KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa, and Mozambique; it is common as a houseplant worldwide. Much of its popularity stems from the low levels of care needed; the jade plant requires little water and can survive in most indoor conditions. It is sometimes referred to as the money tree; however, Pachira aquatica also has this nickname.

<i>Gynura aurantiaca</i> Species of flowering plant

Gynura aurantiaca, called purple passion or velvet plant, is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae. It is native to Southeast Asia but grown in many other places as a house plant. In warm regions, it is frequently grown outdoors on patios and in gardens rather than inside buildings, and hence it has escaped into the wild in Africa, Australia, South America, Mesoamerica, Florida, and a few other places.

References

  1. 1 2 "Justicia brandegeeana". Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Agricultural Research Service (ARS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Retrieved 2010-04-07.
  2. 1 2 3 RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN   978-1405332965.
  3. "Justicia brandegeeana". The Plant List. Retrieved 21 October 2014.
  4. 1 2 Jiang; Xiao-hua (2014). "Essential Oil Composition of Justicia brandegeeana". Chemistry of Natural Compounds. 50 (1): 149–150. doi:10.1007/s10600-014-0895-y. S2CID   38199048.
  5. "Justicia brandegeeana a natural for a tropical garden" . Retrieved 2014-10-21.
  6. "RHS Plant Selector - Justicia brandegeeana". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
  7. "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 56. Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  8. "Justicia brandegeeana". Plants Rescue. Retrieved 2014-10-21.

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