Shrimp Tree Plant Care Guide
Today we are taking a look at how to care for shrimp trees, specifically justicia brandegeana aka the mexican shrimp plant. These popular plants are relatively easy to care for and bloom constantly!
Why People Love This Plant
Originally from Central American regions such as Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras, the shrimp plant also made a home in Florida! This tropical flowering tree is so loved because of its red, shrimp-like flowers it produces! These trees love warm, tropical weather, but can be grown indoors or out.
Your Guide to Care
Care: Easy-Medium, still great for beginners but a little more fussy than a monstera or zz plant.
Light: These plants can handle full sun to partial shade, however they prefer the sun to not get too strong. So if you can, providing them with morning sun would be ideal. They need sunlight to develop their colors, however too much sunlight will cause their color to fade. If growing indoors, provide your plant with bright light, again taking care to avoid full midday sun.
Water: Shrimp plants prefer well drained soil, so you could use a well draining sandy soil. These plants will leaf drop if you keep them on the dry side so in the summer make sure to give them plenty of water (this could mean watering 1 to 2 times per week), especially if kept outside. In winter you will be able to not water as much, but keep the soil damp and don’t allow it to fully dry out.
Temperature: 65 to 75 F is a shrimp plants ideal temperature, in the fall/winter do not let your plant see temperatures below 55 F.
Humidity: This is a tropical plant, so it would love any humidity you provide! This of it’s native habitat. Mexico, Honduras, and Guatemala are all humid. So yes, shrimp plants thrive with humidity.
Feeding: During warmer months you should regularly feed your shrimp plant, it likes a lot of food! This could mean feeding it once every week! You can lessen or stop fertilizing over winter.
Bonus
Shrimp plants need a good pruning every year, which encourages them to grow full and provide you with lots of blooms!
Tag us on Instagram @tropicalplantsofflorida with a Shrimp plant selfie!
This plant came in perfect condition. Tropical plant website is very informative on how to care for it. Hope I do well.
CCarver again….I loved the braided
shrimp tree plant but now the branches are falling over and breaking off and I don’t know how to maintain it.Please advise…