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Justicia spicigera Schltdl.

Mexican honeysuckle, mohintli, firecracker bush, orange plume flower

KingdomPlantaePlants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
SubkingdomTracheobiontaVascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
DivisionMagnoliophytaFlowering plants, also known as angiosperms
ClassMagnoliopsidaDicotyledons—plants with two initial seed leaves
SubclassAsteridaeA large class that encompasses asters
OrderLamialesAromatic herbs and shrubs, including lavender, lilac, olive, jasmine, ash, teak, snapdragon, sesame, psyllium, garden sage, mint, basil, and rosemary
FamilyAcanthaceaeAcanthus family, of tropical herbs and shrubs
GenusJusticiaNamed for James Justice, a Scottish horticulturist
Speciesspicigera

About plant names...

Mexican honeysuckle is native to Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua.

Here is a comparison of Mexican honeysuckle and several "true" honeysuckles.

 

Justicia spicigera (Mexican honeysuckle, mohintli, firecracker bush, orange plume flower)

4/10/2015 · Naples Botanical Garden, Naples, Florida · ≈ 1½ × 1′ (47 × 31 cm)

 
Lonicera fragrantissima

Lonicera japonica

Lonicera sempervirens
Common Name

winter honeysuckle

Japanese honeysuckle

trumpet honeysuckle
Plant Shrubs are 3-9½′ (1-3 m) around A vine up to 16′ (5 m) in size. Young stems are reddish- or light-brown, while older stems are hollow, with peeling bark Trumpet honeysuckle is a twining vine 3-20′ (91-609 cm) long, depending upon what it has to climb over. Bark is orange-brown, and peeling.
Flowers Blooms are a creamy white color, in pairs, appearing in March-April, and very fragrant, with a lemony smell Flowers are white, showy, fragrant, about 1″ (2.5 cm) in size. They fade to a yellow color, so the vine appears to have white and yellow flowers In clusters of 2-4, each red or orange with yellow interiors, 1-2″ (2.5-5 cm) long, trumpet-shaped. They appear from April to July.
Leaves Leaves are opposite, roughly oval, with smooth edges Leaves are opposite, roughly oval-shaped, with smooth edges. Younger leaves may have lobes Roughly oval in shape, opposite, bluish green, and 1-3″ (2.5-7.6 cm) long. Leaves at the base of flowers are fused at the base.
Fruit Orange to red berries up to ⅜″ (1 cm) across Black, about ⅛″ (3.2 mm) around Berries are orange-red to deep red in color
Range/ Zones

USDA Zones: 4-8

USDA Zones: 4-9
Type Wild Wild Wild
Occurrence      

 

 
Lonicera tatarica
You are here
Justicia spicigera
Common Name

Tatarian honeysuckle

Mexican honeysuckle
Plant Densely branched shrub, up to 10-12′ (3-3.7 m) around 3-4′ (91-121 cm) high and 4-6′ (1.2-1.8 m) around
Flowers Pairs of flowers, each about ¾″ (1.9 cm) around, may be white, pink, or rose. Each flower has five spatula-shaped, somewhat unruly-looking petals, and five anthers Bright orange, tubular in shape
Leaves Leaves are oval in shape, with smooth edges and a bluish cast, 1½-2½″ (3.8-6.3 cm) long × 1-1½″ (2.5-3.8 cm) wide, in opposite pairs Roughly oval, soft and velvety, up to 3″ (7.6 cm) long
Fruit Berries are orange to red, about ¼″ (6.3 mm) in diameter, often lasting through the winter  
Range/ Zones

USDA Zones: 9-10
Type Wild Wild
Occurrence Common to invasive  

 

Identification: Mexican honeysuckle is an evergreen shrub 3-4′ (91-121 cm) high and 4-6′ (1.2-1.8 m) around. Leaves are roughly oval, soft and velvety, up to 3″ (7.6 cm) long. Flowers are bright orange, tubular in shape, and attractive to hummingbirds.

Online References:

Desert-tropicals.com

Cals.arizona.edu

Chris A. Martin's site at Arizona State University

Top Tropicals

Tucsonbotanical.org

SEINet—the Southwest Environmental Information Network

 

Justicia spicigera description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 16 Sep 2020.

© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.


 

Justicia spicigera (Mexican honeysuckle, mohintli, firecracker bush, orange plume flower)

4/12/2015 · Biscayne National Park, Florida City, Florida · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 12 cm)

Justicia spicigera (Mexican honeysuckle, mohintli, firecracker bush, orange plume flower)

4/12/2015 · Biscayne National Park, Florida City, Florida · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (16 × 11 cm)

Justicia spicigera (Mexican honeysuckle, mohintli, firecracker bush, orange plume flower)

5/25/2009 · Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Superior, Ari­zona · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)

Justicia spicigera (Mexican honeysuckle, mohintli, firecracker bush, orange plume flower)

4/12/2015 · Biscayne National Park, Florida City, Florida · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 12 cm)

Justicia spicigera (Mexican honeysuckle, mohintli, firecracker bush, orange plume flower)

4/12/2015 · Biscayne National Park, Florida City, Florida · ≈ 9 × 6″ (22 × 15 cm)

Justicia spicigera (Mexican honeysuckle, mohintli, firecracker bush, orange plume flower)

4/10/2015 · Naples Botanical Garden, Naples, Florida · ≈ 2 × 1′ (59 × 39 cm)

Range: Zones 9-10:

About this map...