Fruit Cocktail Shrimp Plant Justicia brandegeeana 'Fruit Cocktail' Height: 3 feet Spread: 3 feet
Sunlight:
Hardiness Zone: 8b Other Names: Justicia brandegeana, syn. Beloperone guttata Description: This clump forming plant produces light greenish-yellow bracts, from which two-lipped pinkish-red flowers emerge that look like shrimp; evergreen in frost free areas; an excellent choice for containers and hanging baskets Ornamental Features Fruit Cocktail Shrimp Plant features showy white tubular flowers with shell pink overtones and chartreuse bracts at the ends of the branches from late spring to early fall. It has dark green evergreen foliage which emerges light green in spring. The oval leaves remain dark green throughout the winter. Landscape Attributes Fruit Cocktail 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; Fruit Cocktail Shrimp Plant is recommended for the following landscape applications; Planting & Growing Fruit Cocktail Shrimp Plant will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 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. 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. Fruit Cocktail 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.
