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Desert Honeysuckle Wikimedia Commons
Acanthaceae

Desert Honeysuckle

Justicia californica

Attraction and sweetness.

Family
Acanthaceae
Genus
Justicia
Native to
Southwestern United States, Northwestern Mexico
Bloom season
Spring, Fall
Type
Shrub
Height
0.6-1.5 meters
Sunlight
Full sun
Soil
Sandy, rocky, well-drained
Water
Low
Hardiness
9-11
Lifespan
Perennial

Did you know

  • Desert honeysuckle is not a true honeysuckle but gets its name from its tubular, nectar-rich flowers.
  • It is one of the most important hummingbird plants in the Sonoran Desert.
  • The plant drops its leaves during drought to conserve water, appearing dead until rains return.
  • Costa's hummingbirds time their nesting season around its peak bloom period.
  • Native Cahuilla people used the plant's stems to make arrow shafts.

Color meanings

0

Devotion

1

Sweetness

2

Bonds of love

Uses

  • Hummingbird gardens
  • Xeriscaping
  • Native plant restoration