Justicia brandegeeana (Shrimp Plant)

Native to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, this evergreen shrub grows in seasonally dry tropical habitats. Arching flower spikes have overlapping colored bracts surrounding slender tubular flowers. The bracts give the plant its shrimp-like appearance, while flowering can continue year-round in mild climates. The flowers attract hummingbirds. Individual flowers last only a few days, while the bracts can remain colourful for months. It has naturalized in Ecuador and Florida and is readily propagated from stem cuttings. The Royal Horticultural Society awarded it the Award of Garden Merit. Photographed in Colombia and Florida.