Mexican Honeysuckle – Desert Horizon Nursery

Mexican Honeysuckle

Justicia spicigera
Categories:
Shrubs  ·  
Desert Shrubs
Light
Morning sun / afternoon shade
Water
Low to moderate water once established; water deeply, then let the upper few inches of soil dry. Provide supplemental summer irrigation for fuller growth and better flowering.
Size
3-4 ft tall × 3-4 ft wide
Habit
Mounded – spreading shrub
Toxicity
Not Established
Description
A heat-tolerant shrub with soft green leaves and clusters of slender orange flowers; not a true honeysuckle.
Bloom Time
Spring and fall; intermittent year-round
Deciduous / Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Special Features
Attracts Butterflies, Attracts Hummingbirds, Drought Tolerant, Heat Tolerant
Growth Rate
Moderate to fast
Growth Habit
Mounded – spreading shrub
Mature Size
3-4 ft tall × 3-4 ft wide
Flower Color
Orange
Foliage Color
Medium green
Landscape Use
Border / Bed, Container / Patio, Foundation Planting, Pollinator / Wildlife Garden
Garden Style
Container / Patio, Hedge / Formal, Pollinator / Wildlife
Soil
Alkaline Tolerant, Amended / Rich, Sandy / Rocky, Well-Drained
Companion Plants
Autumn sage, Bulbine, Red yucca, Yellow Bells
Not Established
Not established — verify
Care Instructions

Light: Morning sun with afternoon shade is ideal in Phoenix; tolerates filtered shade. Avoid intense reflected heat.

Water: Low to moderate water once established; water deeply, then let the upper few inches of soil dry. Provide supplemental summer irrigation for fuller growth and better flowering.

Soil: Well-drained soil; tolerates sandy or alkaline soils. Add compost to very poor soil and avoid waterlogged conditions.

Mature size: 3–5 feet tall and 3–6 feet wide.

Bloom: Primarily spring through fall; may bloom intermittently in winter in frost-protected locations.

Evergreen / deciduous: Evergreen in frost-free conditions; may lose leaves or die back during Zone 9b freezes, often regrowing from established roots in spring.

Growth rate: Moderate to fast with warmth and adequate moisture.