Chuparosa
Justicia californica
Chuparosa (Justicia californica) is a beautiful, multi-stemmed shrub with many red flowers. The plant is usually leafless while in bloom. Chuparosa grows fast to 6 feet high and 6 feet wide and is somewhat sprawling. This is a low bush which grows in dry, hot regions in the sand or rocky terrain of the desert floor For a short time it bears succulent green leaves that are smaller than the eventual tubular flowers. The flowers are shades of bright to deep red, or sometimes yellow and appear in late winter into summer, making the bush a blaze of color.
This desert plant likes full sun and well-draining, rocky, gravelly or sandy soil. It is drought-tolerant and can be cut back in fall to refresh its growth.
Its common names include hummingbird bush because hummingbirds love to feed upon the flower’s nectar. Chuparosa, another of its names, is Spanish for hummingbird.
