Stats

Lifespan

Perennial

Size

Small

Diet

Photosynthetic

Biome

Tropical forest

Range

North America

Movement

Sessile

Breeding

Seeds

Status

Uncommon

About

Shrimp plants are evergreen shrubs that grow in the genus Justicia of the acanthus family Acanthaceae. They are native to Mexico and also naturalized in Florida.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   seed

   A dormant seed waits for water and warmth before germinating.
2. 2.
   sprout

   A first shoot emerges with cotyledon leaves and a tap root reaching down.
3. 3.
   sapling

   A young plant grows true leaves and a stem or trunk, putting on height each season.
4. 4.
   mature

   Fully grown, flowering or fruiting at adult size.

Learn more

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Taxonomy

Kingdom

Plantae

Phylum

Tracheophyta

Class

Magnoliopsida

Order

Lamiales

Family

Acanthaceae

Genus

Justicia

Species

Justicia brandegeeana