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Cardinal's Guard

Scientific Name: Pachystachys coccinea (Aublet) Nees
Synonym: Jacobinia coccinea, Justicia coccinea, Justicia lutea
Family: Acanthaceae

Pachystachys coccinea in the NYBG greenhouse in mid April

Recommended Temperature Zone:
USDA: 10-12

Frost Tolerance: Temperature close to freezing will cause damage. Keep above 50°F (10°C)

Sun Exposure: Full sun to light shade, preferes filtered sun.

Origin: Northern South America, West Indies

Growth Habits: Shrub, 5 to 7 feet tall (1.5 to 2.1 m.), dark green elliptic or ovate leaves, up to 8 inches long (20 cm.)

Flowers: Red flowers, up to 2 inches long (5 cm.)

Watering Needs: Regular water

Propagation: Cuttings

Pachystachys coccinea in Curtis Botanical Magazine

Blooming Habits:
Produces showy tubular scarlet red flowers in terminal spikes. The flowers come in spring and summer, or most of the year if the temperature is warm enough.

List of All the Plants | More in the Acanthaceae family

Desert-Tropicals is dedicated to provide gardening advice, gardening ideas, and information about flower of all kind for landscape and collections.We try to check carefully the identification of the plants on the illustrations as well as the other information from the page, but occasionally errors do occur. if you notice anything that needs to be changed please contact us.Thanks.