Japanese name: ジャスティシア フロリブンダ Scientific name:Justicia floribunda
[Overview]
An evergreen subshrub 30–60 cm in both height and spread.
It branches well and has a rounded form.
The stems are densely covered with fine white hairs.
Leaves are simple and opposite, elliptical to ovate, 4–6 cm long and 1–2 cm wide, with one leaf of each pair smaller than the other.
The leaf margins are entire.
The flowers are borne in the leaf axils in the upper part of the stem, pointing sideways or slightly downward.
The corolla is tubular, 2–2.5 cm long, with a two-lipped tip, and is red to orange at the base and yellow at the tip.
The fruit is a capsule.
[Cultivation]
Propagate by cuttings.
It can overwinter if the temperature stays at 6–8°C or above.
It prefers partial shade, well-drained soil, and heat and humidity.
Direct summer sun can cause leaf scorch.
From spring to autumn, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; in winter, keep it on the dry side.
Less fertilizer keeps the plant compact, so apply liquid fertilizer about once every 2 weeks from spring to autumn.
Pests and diseases include scale insects and spider mites.
