Justicia brandegeeana is known colloquially as shrimp plant due to the resemblance of its flowers to those tiny crustaceans. The showy reddish-pink to chartreuse bracts are actually modified leaves; the true flowers are white and appear for a relatively short period of time. A member of the Acanthaceae family, this species has long been a favorite of tropical conservatories and subtropical gardens. It roots easily from vegetative cuttings dipped in a rooting hormone and held in a high-moisture environment featuring excellent soil drainage and moderate air movement. Over time, the plants tend to get leggy as they grow in height and lose their lower leaves. This issue can be overcome by periodically pruning the plant back to at least two internodes (joints from which new stems can arise).