Plant Description

Dicliptera sericea

Dicliptera sericea

This plant, sometimes erroneously called as a Justicia or Jacobinia, is a member of the Acanthaceae family and comes from Uruguay. It is sometimes apparently called the Uruguayan firecracker plant. Its previous name was Dicliptera suberecta.It is a small, lax shrub around 60cm in height with greyish, velvety leaves. The foliage colour will be greener if the plant is grown in shade or in a rich soil. The plant can spread quite wide. Its tubular orange flowers appear in summer and autumn. It blooms best in a sunny position, but will also grow in light shade. It is very tough and drought hardy, and needs no attention other than to be trimmed back quite often to avoid straggliness. It is a good front-of-the-border plant for hot-coloured garden areas with Dahlia, Canna, Salvia and other warm-climate plants. It can be also grown in a pot.

The plant can take over where soil is good - I would never grow it in any area than one where very little else will thrive. Some people do regard it as something of a weed.

Note that this plant is now said by some authorities to be correctly called Dicliptera squarrosa.

Of Interest

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Dicliptera sericea
Out now in my Sydney garden.
Flowers from November to March.
Plant Family: Acanthaceae