How to Grow Shrimp Plant
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Shrimp Plant
Justicia brandegeeana
shrubThe shrimp plant is a tropical flowering shrub known for its distinctive curved, shrimp-like inflorescences that are typically brick-red, orange, or yellow in color. The tubular white or purple flowers emerge from the colorful bracts, creating a striking two-toned display that attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. It's an excellent choice for containers, hanging baskets, and indoor cultivation.
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Example Shrimp Plant timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Shrimp Plant
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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Harvest Shrimp Plant
Around Jun 16≈ 60 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Shrimp Plant dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 10-11; can be grown indoors or in containers elsewhere with proper care
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Establishment
2-4 weeksYoung plant is adjusting to conditions with tender new growth and developing root system
Keep soil consistently moist, avoid direct intense sun, maintain humidity, use bright indirect light, fertilize monthly with balanced fertilizer
Vegetative Growth
4-8 weeksPlant develops bushy foliage with numerous stems and bright green leaves; minimal flowering
Pinch back growing tips to encourage branching; fertilize every 2-3 weeks with balanced or slightly higher nitrogen fertilizer; maintain warm temperatures (65-75°F); increase light exposure
Pre-flowering
2-4 weeksPlant reaches mature size with dense foliage; flower buds begin forming on branch tips
Reduce pinching, switch to fertilizer higher in phosphorus to promote flowering, maintain consistent watering and humidity, ensure adequate light
Flowering
8-12 weeks (continuous in ideal conditions)Distinctive shrimp-like flower spikes emerge in reds, oranges, or yellows with small white or purple tubular flowers protruding from bracts
Continue watering consistently, deadhead spent bracts to encourage more blooms, maintain warm conditions, provide bright light, fertilize every 2-3 weeks with bloom-promoting fertilizer
Maintenance & Pruning
OngoingMature plant continues blooming; may become leggy or overgrown without regular maintenance
Prune in spring to shape and encourage branching; cut back by 1/3 to 1/2 to maintain compact form; remove any diseased or dead wood; can be cut back hard and will regenerate
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Increase humidity and mist regularly; spray with neem oil or insecticidal soap every 7 days for 3 weeks; isolate heavily infested plants
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Dab with rubbing alcohol on a cotton swab; spray with insecticidal soap; use neem oil; introduce parasitic wasps for biological control
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Scrape off manually; spray with horticultural oil or neem oil; apply insecticidal soap; repeated applications may be necessary
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Use yellow sticky traps; spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; vacuum off adults; maintain good air circulation
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Ensure well-draining soil; allow soil to dry slightly between waterings; remove affected plant from pot, trim rotted roots, repot in fresh soil; improve air circulation
Uses
Ornamental Flowering Display
HouseholdThe shrimp plant's unique, colorful shrimp-like flower spikes make it a striking decorative plant for interior spaces, patios, and gardens. It blooms prolifically in warm climates and can provide continuous color for months. [source]
Hummingbird & Butterfly Attractor
WildlifeThe tubular flowers are highly attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies, making it an excellent choice for pollinator gardens. It serves as a nectar source throughout its extended blooming period. [source]
Fresh Cut Flowers
HouseholdThe distinctive flower spikes make excellent long-lasting cut flowers for floral arrangements, adding exotic color and texture to bouquets. [source]
Traditional Medicine
MedicinalIn some traditional medicine systems, particularly in Central America, Justicia species have been used to support respiratory health and digestion, though scientific evidence is limited. [source]
Container & Hanging Basket Gardening
CraftThe shrimp plant's compact, bushy growth habit and trailing tendency make it ideal for containers, window boxes, and hanging baskets, allowing gardeners in cooler zones to grow it seasonally. [source]
This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.
Harvest Tips
Shrimp plants are ornamental and not harvested for food; however, flower spikes can be cut for fresh floral arrangements when fully developed, typically lasting 2-3 weeks in water. Deadheading spent bracts throughout the flowering season encourages continuous blooming.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 The shrimp plant gets its common name from the remarkable resemblance of its flower spike to a cooked shrimp, complete with a curved shape and overlapping bracts that resemble the shrimp's segments.
- 🌱 The actual flowers are the small white or purple tubes that emerge from the bracts—most people assume the colorful curved part is the flower, but those are specialized leaves called bracts that protect and display the true flowers.
- 🌱 Shrimp plants are native to Mexico and Central America and were named scientifically by Thomas Brandegee; they thrive in warm, humid conditions similar to their tropical and subtropical origins.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
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