Jacobinia Firefly

Jacobinia 'Firefly' (Justicia brasiliana 'Firefly') is a soft evergreen shrub that flowers orange and red in the one place most flowering plants sulk: dappled shade. It reaches about 1.5m tall and 1.2m wide, grows quickly, and holds colour through the warm months in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. If you have a shaded bed doing nothing, this is the plant for it.

Why you'll love it

• Colour where you rarely get it. Dappled light or morning sun gives the best flowering, so it works under established trees and along shaded fence lines.
• Honeyeaters find it fast. The tubular flowers are built for nectar birds, and bees and butterflies work them as well.
• Quick to fill a bed. Fast growing and soft stemmed, so a mass planting closes over within a season or two.
• Easy to keep tidy. A tip prune after flowering holds it compact around 1.5m instead of letting it stretch.

Where it works best

Mass planting. Plant 80cm apart for a continuous drift. That spacing lets each plant reach full width without crowding its neighbours.

Borders and edging. Along a shaded path or beneath a canopy, where a 1.5m shrub adds height and colour without blocking the view through the garden.

Pots and courtyards. A single plant in a 400mm pot suits a sheltered courtyard or a covered balcony in a warm climate.

Growing Jacobinia Firefly in Australia

Position and climate. Dappled shade or morning sun with afternoon protection. It is frost tender, so it belongs in tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens, and colder districts should keep it in a pot that can move under cover. Humidity and heat are no trouble at all.

Soil. Rich, free draining soil improved with compost. Mulch 75mm deep, kept clear of the stems, to hold moisture through summer.

Water and feed. It wants moderate, consistent water and does not enjoy drying right out. Water twice a week through the first summer and during hot spells afterwards. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring and again in midsummer keeps the flushes coming.

Pruning. Tip prune after each flush to keep it dense. If it does stretch, cut back by a third in early spring and it reshoots readily from lower down.

What to expect when it arrives

It is supplied as tube stock, a young rooted plant only a few months old. Tubes are the right choice for mass planting: affordable in the numbers a drift needs, quick to establish, and in warm weather they catch up to larger stock within a season.

Pot tubes on into 140mm containers for a few weeks if the bed is not ready. Plants are delivered Australia wide, delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee. Expect first flowers within a season of planting in warm weather.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Designing a tropical garden that stays lush, for planting partners.
• Browse the wider tropical garden range.
• More plants for mass planting if you are filling a large bed.
• Other bird attracting plants to extend the nectar season.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it?

Plant 80cm apart for a mass planting or drift. At that spacing each plant reaches its full 1.2m width and the bed closes over without the centres crowding.

Will it flower in full sun?

It will grow, but flowering and leaf quality are better in dappled shade or morning sun. Hot afternoon sun tends to bleach the foliage and stress the plant.

Is it frost hardy?

No. It is frost tender and suits tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens. In cooler districts keep it potted and move it under cover for the winter.

How do I stop it getting leggy?

Tip prune after each flowering flush, and cut back by a third in early spring if it has already stretched. It reshoots readily, so hard pruning is not risky.