Shrimp Plant Care Guide

With the name shrimp plant, you would wonder, wow does it grow shrimps? The truth is no, but the shrimp plant flowers do resemble shrimp. Still, this beautiful flowering plant you should not confuse with the golden shrimp plant.

Another interesting thing is there are several names for this tropical plant.

Plant Name: Justicia brandeegeana

Other Name: Shrimp plant, Shrimp flower, and Mexican Shrimp plant

Plant Type: Evergreen shrub

Native Areas: Guatemala and Honduras

Light Requirement: Shade

Watering: Drought tolerant

Fertilizer: No fertilizer is needed unless leaves droop

Toxicity: Toxic to humans and pets

Temperature: Warm temperatures

Propagation: Stem cuttings or division

Growth: 3 feet in height

Soil Type: Well-drained soil

USDA Hardiness Zones: 9-11

More About Shrimp Plant

shrimp plant @joelabroad

The Justicia brandegeeana, or shrimp-like plant, has flowers growing on bracts. Some people refer to the evergreen shrub as the shrimp plant, shrimp flower, or Mexican shrimp plant. The plant can survive up to 20 years when properly cared for.

Shrimp plants reach 3 feet tall, and the spindly branches are covered with oval-shaped leaves. The spread of the shrubs is usually the same as the height. Nevertheless, the foliage will become less dense once the shrimp plant exceeds two feet.

The leaves measure about 3 inches long and form clusters on the end of the branches. With the correct amount of sunlight, the foliage develops white speckles. The shrimp plant blooms twice a year, starting in early summer.

Shrimp plants display white bracts that grow slowly and change color as it blooms. It starts with white flowers turning pale pink and a deep red or salmon. The white flowers form from the bracts, displaying red speckles near the throat.

The blooms can last for months and will rest for a short while before it blooms a second time. The scented flowers attract butterflies and other pollinators to the garden.

Shrimp Plant Care

The shrimp plant forms a bushy red-white-green mound to add color to the yard to grow in a shrub or a tree form. You can grow shrimp plants in a container on the porch, but it does need plenty of space to spread.

So let’s dive in and get our hands dirty to ensure your shrimp plants will survive.

The Best Soil For Justicia Brandegeeana

Shrimp tree plant flowers can grow in loamy or sandy soil as long as it is well-drained, as these plants like the soil damp but do not enjoy wet feet.

Lighting Plant Care

These flowering plants outdoors need to receive morning sun to bring out the flower heads’ color.

Still, in very warm climates, it can receive full sun in the morning but needs partial shade in the afternoon. Nonetheless, in the tropical forests of Mexico and the southwest of North America, they grow in humid conditions with shade.

Too much sun without shade can bleach the plant’s color in warmer climates.

Watering Justicia Brandegeana

Shrimp plants are fairly drought tolerant, but with too much heat, you must water often in the summer and the fall. When you notice the leaves drooping in winter, you can give your shrimp plant water.

Temperature and Humidity

Well-rooted plants are hardy in the USDA hardiness zones 9 through 11. For example, the shrimp plant can survive in zones 8 when adding a layer of mulch around the base.

We recommend growing your shrimp plant indoors for cooler regions, but they should not receive full sun all day.

It helps bring the plant indoors in icy regions as it will not survive temperatures below 45° degrees Fahrenheit (7° C).

When grown in less humid conditions, we recommend you provide your shrimp plant with more fresh air and sun as they prefer high humidity.

Fertilizing Your Shrimp Plant

Shrimp plant care outdoors and fertilizing these plants can go without a feed when growing in organic-rich soil. But for indoor plants, you can use a liquid plant food given weekly in a diluted strength. The liquid fertilizer will help develop new growth before blooming begins.

Pruning Justicia Brandegeana

Your shrub needs pruning to maintain its shape, especially when branches grow spindly. These branches will not be able to support themselves. You can trim your shrub for a denser shape after the flowering period ends.

Doing this will encourage fuller growth.

Potting Shrimp Flower

When growing shrimp flowers in containers, young plants will need regular transplanting for the root system to grow. Once these plants grow and become rooted, they do not need transplanting often.

Propagation of Shrimp Flower

There are two methods to propagate your shrimp plants using stem cuttings or division. The easiest is the division for outdoor plants. You can do this by digging up the shrub to remove the soil.

Then cut the root system into two sections or three and space the divided sections three feet apart when replanting. You can do this with your potted shrub as well. For taking cuttings, ensure you choose one with a set of leaves.

Then dip the cut end into a rooting hormone before placing it in the soil. Ensure the soil remains moist; the cutting should develop roots in about eight weeks. Once your seedlings are sturdy enough, you can transplant them outdoors or into larger containers.

Shrimp Plant Varieties

When we look at the name shrimp plants, you can find a few varieties available with the same name as seen here:

Pachystachys lutea

The golden shrimp plant also goes by Justicia lutea and has bright green leaves with yellow brackets and white flower heads.

Red Shrimp Plants

The red shrimp reaches a height of two feet with large crimson bracks and small tube-shaped white blooms.

Purple Shrimp Plants

Sometimes people refer to it as the blue shrimp or the honeywort, which belongs to the Cerinthe genus. You see deep red or bluish-purple bracks with purple flowers

Shrimp Plant Common Diseases and Pests

Some common problems are as follows:

• When you notice yellow leaves or the foliage starts to drop, the soil can be too wet or dry.

• The above can also be a sign of fungal leaf spotting, and it is best to check the soil and adjust your watering as needed.

• You can remove the fungal growth, and if it spreads, then we recommend propagating the stem cuttings.

• Pests to look out for are spider mites and whiteflies, and you can treat infestations with neem oil.