Shrimp Plant
Justicia brandegeana 'Pink'
Pickup currently unavailable at Aiken Nursery
The shrimp plant earns the name honestly. The arching flower spikes are built of overlapping bronze-to-pink bracts, each one curved and shingled over the next, so that the whole drooping cluster reads unmistakably as the tail of a boiled shrimp. This is the soft pink form, gentler in color than the coppery-salmon type most people picture, and out of the bracts slip the true flowers: slender, white, two-lipped tubes freckled with maroon at the throat.
Justicia sits in Acanthaceae and honors James Justice, the eighteenth-century Scot sometimes called the father of Scottish gardening, while the epithet remembers the American botanist Townshend Brandegee. Older books file the plant under Beloperone guttata, and you will still meet that name in nurseries and greenhouses; botanists have since folded Beloperone into the much larger genus Justicia. Gardeners also know the shrimp plant as false hop, since the drooping bracted spikes carry a passing resemblance to the strobiles of the brewer's vine.
Native to Mexico and reaching into Central America, this is a soft-stemmed tropical shrub that flowers with almost comic persistence, nearly year round where frost never comes and through the warm months everywhere else. In USDA zones 9 through 11 the plant stays evergreen and shrubby; in zone 8 the top freezes away and the roots push up fresh growth in spring. North of that, gardeners grow the shrimp plant in a pot, summering the pot outdoors and bringing the plant under cover before the cold. A light pinch now and then keeps a plant from growing lanky and shy of bloom.
Hummingbirds find the white tubes quickly, and butterflies work the spikes alongside them, which makes the shrimp plant a small engine of movement in a container or a warm border. There is a quieter history here too: the Huastec Maya of northeastern Mexico kept the plant in their medicine, using the leaves for dysentery and other complaints of the gut and to dress wounds. For most of us the reward is simpler and entirely visible, a tireless, shrimp-pink performance that asks for little more than a bright spot and the occasional trim.
- Hardiness
- USDA Zones 8–11
- Sun
- Part Shade, Full Sun
- Soil
- Well-drained, Moist
- Mature size
- Height 2–4 Feet · Spread 2–4 Feet
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Seasonality
- Dies back, depends on zone
Bronze-to-pink overlapping bracts with white tubular flowers, nearly year-round
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is shared for traditional and educational interest only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional before any medicinal use.
- A localized traditional use only; the plant is not a proven remedy.
- Not a substitute for professional medical care; consult a qualified practitioner before use.
From rooting to shipping, our top priority is ensuring you receive healthy, thriving plants for your garden’s success.
Because most of our plants are grown from rooted cuttings — alongside seed, air layering, and grafting chosen for each variety — you receive a stronger, true-to-type plant that establishes quickly in your garden.
Raised on organic soil blends and eco-friendly pest management — never harsh chemicals — your plant arrives healthy for your garden, your family, and the pollinators they feed.
Every purchase gives back. We donate to the Aiken Arboretum and support local wildlife conservation, so growing your garden helps protect the wider ecosystem too.
All our plant material is carefully propagated, grown, and nurtured at our humble nursery in Aiken, South Carolina.
Your plant arrives carefully packed and ready to settle in. Unpack them promptly, give them a day or two to acclimate, then plant following the notes we include — that’s all it takes. Clear care guidance comes with every order, so success is the easy part.
What to expect upon delivery
All our plants are sold in 1-gallon sizes, though the height of each plant can vary depending on its growth rate and seasonality, typically ranging from 1/2 to 2.5 feet.
Each plant is carefully packaged with its roots enclosed in a secure plastic bag containing moist soil, forming a compact root ball. To ensure safe transport, the box is padded with recycled newspaper, providing both stability and eco-friendly protection from weather during shipping.
What is your return policy?
Review our full return policy information on our SHIPPING AND RETURNS POLICY page.
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Can I make changes to my order after it’s been placed?
At Woodlanders, we strive to fulfill orders as quickly as possible. Therefore, we can only accommodate changes to your order within the first 24 hours after it has been placed. These changes include adding or removing products and modifying the delivery address. If you need to make any changes or if there has been a mistake with your order information, please reach out to us promptly via our CONTACT page with your order number for the quickest resolution.
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