Justicia Americana

About Justicia Americana

Water Willow is an aquatic perennial with white and purple flowers blooming from early summer into the fall. It has green, 2-6" long willow-like leaves. It can be found in the shallow water of ponds, streams, lakes, and rivers. The flowers are pollinated by bees, wasp flies, small butterflies, and skippers.

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Justicia procumbens

Genus

Justicia

Family

Acanthaceae

Order

Lamiales

Also known as

Justicia americana, American water-willow and Justicia americana

How to care for Justicia Americana

💦 Water

How often to water your Justicia Americana

Justicia Americana needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Justicia Americana in your home

Justicia Americana may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.

Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Justicia Americana in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Justicia Americana

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Justicia Americana: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Justicia Americana after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #JusticiaAmericana

💡 FAQs

⭐ Difficulty Level

Justicia Americana is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!

How to Grow Justicia Americana →

Benefits of Growing Justicia Americana →

Common Justicia Americana Problems →

Outdoor Care Guide for Justicia Americana →

💦 Water Needs

Justicia Americana prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Justicia Americana Water Frequency →

Justicia Americana Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Justicia Americana may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Justicia Americana Light Requirements →

Justicia Americana Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Justicia Americana is not known to cause harm to humans or pets. Regardless, if you, a family member, a cat, or dog has ingested any plant material, please consult a doctor or a veterinarian.

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Justicia Americana grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.

Justicia Americana Lifecycle →

Justicia Americana Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Justicia Americana →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Justicia Americana can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 4a-9b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Justicia Americana Temperature Tolerance →

Justicia Americana Hardiness Zones →

Landscaping Ideas with Justicia Americana →

When to Plant Justicia Americana →

How to Plant Justicia Americana →

Where to Plant Justicia Americana →

Winter Care for Justicia Americana →

Best Companion Plants for Justicia Americana →

Is Justicia Americana a Weed? →

🌱 Propagation

Justicia Americana can be propagated by division into new individual plants.

Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
Repot the parent plant back into its original pot

How to Propagate Justicia Americana →

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Justicia Americana, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.