Other Names:  Justicia brandegeana, syn. Beloperone guttata

Description:

This clump forming shrub produces showy bright orange-red bracts that resemble small pinecones; white flowers emerge from the bracts from spring to fall; evergreen in frost free areas; an excellent choice for containers and hanging baskets

Ornamental Features

Red Pinecone Shrimp Plant features showy white tubular flowers with shell pink overtones and brick red bracts at the ends of the branches from late winter to late fall. It has light green evergreen foliage which emerges chartreuse in spring. The textured oval leaves remain light green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Red Pinecone Shrimp Plant is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Insects

Red Pinecone Shrimp Plant is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting
• Hanging Baskets

Planting & Growing

Red Pinecone Shrimp Plant will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a fast rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 10 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. This plant should not require much in the way of fertilizing once established, although it may appreciate a shot of general-purpose fertilizer from time to time early in the growing season. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Red Pinecone Shrimp Plant makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor containers and hanging baskets. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.