Botanical Name: Odontonema strictum
Common Name: Cardinal’s guard
Type of Plant: dicot: shrub

Habit of Growth:
Overall Shape Upright, rangy, shrubby perennial forming an overall rounded shape, becoming dense with age
Height to 8'
Spread to 8'
Growth Rate moderate
 
Environment:
Exposure outdoors partial shade to full sun near the coast
Soil prefers a rich, moist, well-amended soil
Hardiness Tender – Zones 23 and 24, otherwise indoors
 
Morphology:
Leaves oblong to elliptical, to 6" long, oppositely arranged, margins often undulate
Flowers terminal spikes of small scarlet tubular flowers each about 1" long; flowers appear in late spring to summer
Fruit small capsule
 
Propagation:
easily rooted from stem cuttings
 
Usage:
tropical specimen, large scale filler or background plant in tropical landscapes; can also be used as a large scale hedge; intensely colored blooms are good in arrangements
 
Landscape Care:
Watering needs regular watering, not drought tolerant
Fertilizing balanced fertilizer two to three times yearly
Pruning can be headed hard after danger of frost has passed
Pests/Diseases scale, thrips, mealybug
Special Conditions/Other pinch back regularly to induce bushiness
 
Origin: Central America
Family: Acanthaceae

Notes:
 
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