Squirrel Tail (Justicia betonica)

19/05/2012

Squirrel Tail (Justicia betonica L. 1753), also called White Shrimp Plant, Squirrel’s Tail or Paper Plum is a tropical, perennial forb, native to East- and South Africa, India and Sri Lanka.


As the showy Squirrel Tail with its attractive, green netting patterned inflorescences escaped cultivation, it became an invasive species in some regions of the world, especially Australia and Hawaii. The Squirrel Tail is known as a sleeper weed, which means, the plant benigns for years and than suddenly spreads rapidly due to natural events. Justicia, a genus of flowering plants, belonging to the bear’s breeches (Acanthus) family (Acanthaceae), has been named by the father of modern taxonomy Carl Linnaeus (1707 – 1778) in honour to the Scottish botanist James Justice (1698-1763). The Squirrel Tail (Justicia betonica) grows up to a height of about 1,50 - 2 meters, the attractive inflorescences get a length of about 15 cm. The fast-growing tropical plant prefers a moderately wet habitat, spreads rapidly by seed propagation and forms dense stands.


© Orchids Flowers.com
Image: Squirrel Tail (Justicia betonica)




© Orchids Flowers.com
Image: Squirrel Tail (Justicia betonica)

Plants of the Acanthus family (Acanthaceae) at Orchids Flowers.com:

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