Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs, Perennial
Tree
Origin
South-Eastern Asia
North America, United States, Southwestern United States, California, Mexico
Types
-
Lebombo ironwood, Giant ironwood
Number of Varieties
205
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Semi desert, Wet forest
Desert, Dry areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-118-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 9
12-9
Sunset Zone
-
8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Habit
Clump-Forming
Spreading
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
White, Light Pink, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Chocolate, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Gray Green, Gray
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Small oblong
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Stem Cutting
Transplanting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Needs good drainage
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Pruning
Cut away fading foliage, Cut upper 1/3 section when young to enhancegrowth, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Don't use high pH fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Downy mildew, Dry root rot, Rust, Spider mites
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Humidity
Drought
Flowers
Showy
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bees, Butterflies, Snails
Butterflies
Allergy
Dizziness, Mouth itching, Vomiting
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good Cleanser, Good for the Scalp
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Insect Repellent
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antipyretic, Bronchitis, Cough, Digestive disorders, Ear infections, Expectorant, Laxative, Migraines, Piles, Rheumatism, Throat infection, Treating fever
-
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Seeds, Stem
Other Uses
Biomass for fuel, Can be made into a herbal tea, Culinary use, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Used as a laxative
Carvings, Knife handles
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Rock Garden / Wall, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
Justicia adhatoda
OLNEYA tesota
Common Name
Malabar nut, Adulsa, Adhatoda, Vasaka
Ironwood
In Hindi
अडुळसा, अडुसा
रेगिस्तान आइरनवुड
In German
Indisches Lungenkraut
Wüsteneisenholz
In French
Justicia adhatoda
désert Ironwood
In Spanish
Justicia adhatoda
Ironwood desierto
In Greek
Justicia adhatoda
Ironwood έρημο
In Portuguese
Justicia adhatoda
deserto Ironwood
In Polish
Justicia adhatoda
pustynia Ironwood
In Latin
Justicia adhatoda
desert ironwood
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Scrophulariales
Fabales
Family
Acanthaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Justicia
Olneya
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Justicieae
Robinieae
Subfamily
Acanthoideae
Faboideae
Number of Species
65830
1
27800
👆🏻