How to care for shrimp plant in summer? A full breakdown of care essentials

Shrimp plant (Callispidia guttata) is a plant grown for both its foliage and its flowers. Because the flower's bracts are numerous and overlapping, they look like a shrimp's shell, which is how the plant got the name shrimp plant. As an indoor potted ornamental, shrimp plant blooms continuously all year round, so it is loved by many gardeners. So how should you care for shrimp plant well during the hot summer?

Shrimp plant

In summer's high temperatures, water frequently. When watering, you can also spray water on the pot surface, the plant, and the ground around the pot. Spraying a mist over the plant in particular can make the leaves, branches and flowers fresher and more vivid, and further enhance the ornamental effect. Spraying water can raise the humidity in a small area and also lower the temperature, which benefits the growth of potted shrimp plant and its bud formation and blooming. The hot summer with strong light is the peak growth period for shrimp plant, so give it appropriate shade, and only then will the flowers open better. When the temperature rises, move the pot to a cool, ventilated spot with scattered light.

Summer care essentials for potted shrimp plant

How to grow shrimp plant

How to grow shrimp plant

Basic information on shrimp plant

Scientific name: Callispidia guttata. Aliases: shrimp plant, shrimp grass, yellow shrimp flower, fox tail wood, fox tail flower, little shrimp flower, shrimp fry flower, qilin spitting pearl, duck-bill flower, yellow fox tail wood. Japanese name: kobitoebiso.

Family and genus: Acanthaceae, genus Callispidia (also called qilin spitting pearl genus).

Evergreen subshrub, 70-80 cm tall. Base is woody, much branched, stems slender and soft. Leaves ovate, pointed at the tip, narrowing below, 7-8 cm long, covered with soft hairs. Blooms from April to November, with April to June as the peak; spike terminal, about 8 cm long, slightly drooping; with persistent bracts in brown, red, yellow-green or yellow; flowers white, extending beyond the bracts; corolla with two lips, the lower lip with red spots. Capsule, with 4 or 2 seeds.

The shrimp plant's inflorescence bracts, nearly 10 cm long, overlap layer upon layer, closely resembling a lobster or a fox tail. It is unique and interesting, has a very long flowering period, and is easy to care for, making it a flowering plant suitable for growing at home.

[Common flowers in the same genus as shrimp plant]

(1) Purple fox tail wood (C. atropurpurea): about 1 m tall, flowers purple.

(2) Yellow Queen fox tail wood (C. guttata cv. Yellow Queen): a cultivar of shrimp plant, bracts yellow, flowers white.

(3) Violet fox tail wood (C. violacea): about 1 m tall, flowers violet.

(4) California fox tail wood (C. California): flowers bright red.

[Shrimp plant propagation] Cuttings, division, sowing.

(1) Cuttings: usually done from April to June or September to October, with spring cuttings being best. Cut 10-15 cm long, robustly growing branches with short internodes as cuttings. After inserting, place in half shade, keep the room temperature at 20-25°C, and mist frequently to keep the environment moist; roots will form and the plant will survive in about half a month. Those that survive spring cuttings bloom in autumn of the same year; those from autumn cuttings bloom in spring of the following year.

(2) Division: done in spring along with repotting.

(3) Sowing: because the fruit pops open automatically in sunlight and can shoot the seeds about 1 m away, collecting seeds is difficult, and the fruit of potted plants does not easily ripen, so it is seldom used.

[Key points for growing shrimp plant]

(1) Temperature: likes warmth; the most suitable growing temperature is 18-25°C. If a temperature above 10°C can be maintained and sufficient sunlight given, it can continue to bloom in winter. But when the temperature is on the low side, the bracts are dull in color and not attractive. Not very cold-tolerant; the minimum winter temperature should be 5°C.

(2) Light: likes sufficient sunlight and is also tolerant of half shade, but avoids direct strong sunlight.

From May to September it should be shaded, but during the rainy plum season, remove the shading so the light is not too dim, which benefits the plant's growth and blooming. With insufficient light, the plant grows leggy, the flower spikes become thin and long, and the bract color fades, making the plant shape and flower color unattractive. From October to April of the following year, give sufficient sunlight.

(3) Watering: likes a moist soil environment; during the growing period, supply water fully and keep the potting soil moist, but avoid waterlogged potting soil, otherwise the leaves yellow, the flowers wilt, and the roots may even rot. In winter, restrict watering and keep the potting soil on the dry side, which helps it overwinter.

(4) Environmental humidity: likes a moist environment; the suitable relative air humidity is 50%-60%. In summer's high temperatures and on clear, dry days, while watering, also spray water on the plant and around it to create a moist, cool environment.

(5) Fertilizing: because the flowering period is long and consumes many nutrients, during the growing season apply a fertilizer combining nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium about once every 10 days, to meet the nutrient needs of branch and leaf growth and blooming. But fertilizer and water should not be too generous, so as to keep the plant low and compact. Especially avoid applying nitrogen fertilizer alone, otherwise the branches and leaves grow vigorously and flowering decreases. Stop applying nitrogen fertilizer in September and apply phosphorus-potassium fertilizer twice, to help improve cold resistance. Stop fertilizing in winter.

(6) Pruning: it sprouts readily. Every spring, prune the plant along with repotting. Mainly shorten the branches, generally cutting off about 1/3 of the branch length, to control plant height and encourage branching. Young plants from propagation should be pinched when they grow to 10 cm tall, to encourage branching and form a full plant shape. Because flowers are borne at the tips of new branches, after each flowering, promptly cut off the spent flowers and apply fertilizer, which can encourage new branches and continuous blooming.

(7) Potting and repotting: after rooting, plant the seedlings in pots with a 10 cm diameter; mature plants need repotting once every 1-2 years, which can be done in spring. After repotting, first place in half shade, and only move to a spot with sufficient light after new leaves appear. It is not choosy about soil, but loose, fertile, well-drained sandy loam is best; the potting soil can be made from materials such as leaf mold, peat soil, garden soil, coarse sand or perlite.

(8) Pest and disease control: it suffers from pests and diseases such as powdery mildew, scale insects, red spider mites and whiteflies.

[Common problems in growing shrimp plant]

Common problem    Cause
Plant thin and spindly, bract color fading    Usually caused by insufficient light
Branches and leaves vigorous, but few flowers    Caused by applying fertilizer, especially too much nitrogen fertilizer