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Information by: The Plant Nerd Inc.        Photographer: Mountain States Nursery

Description

This sprawling dependable shrub grows to 6' tall and wide. It requires full sun for moderate growth and is drought resistant. It will grow faster with supplemental water but needs good drainage. Justicia has succulent green stems with small, red, tubular flowers that bloom February through May and then again in the fall. Hummingbirds flock to the blooms. This shrub can be cold and drought deciduous.

Maintenance Tips

Justicia californica is a flowering shrub that is native to California, Arizona, and Mexico. It is commonly called Chuparosa, which is Spanish for hummingbird, because it is extremely attractive to hummingbirds. In mild climates, the plant will usually stay evergreen and produce flowers throughout the year. But in very hot, dry climates, it can lose its leaves before the flowering occurs. The plant looks and performs best in full sun along the coast with well-drained soil. Inland, where it is hotter and drier, the plant can take half-sun conditions as long as the soil is well-drained. This shrub can become very rangy after it blooms, so you can cut back the foliage by one-third of the current size and remove any additional branches that have died back.