Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs, Perennial
Flowering Plants
Origin
South-Eastern Asia
Southwestern United States, Mexico
Types
-
-
Number of Varieties
2025
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Semi desert, Wet forest
Alpine Meadows, moist forests, Open areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-114-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 9
9-1
Sunset Zone
-
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20
Habit
Clump-Forming
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm25.40 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm20.30 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic
Long Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Pollution
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Stem Cutting
Layering, Root Division, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Needs good drainage
Average Water Needs, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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
cut main flower spike, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, remove old stems before spring
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
chrysanthemum eelworms, Slugs, Snails
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bees, Butterflies, Snails
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
Dizziness, Mouth itching, Vomiting
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Landscape Designing, Ornamental use, Water gardening
Beauty Benefits
Good Cleanser, Good for the Scalp
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Insect Repellent
Air purification, Food for insects, Prevent Soil Erosion
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
-
Other Uses
Biomass for fuel, Can be made into a herbal tea, Culinary use, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Used as a laxative
Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, deer resistant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Hedges, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
Justicia adhatoda
PENSTEMON barbatus 'Elfin Pink'
Common Name
Malabar nut, Adulsa, Adhatoda, Vasaka
Beardlip Penstemon, Elfin Pink Penstemon
In Hindi
अडुळसा, अडुसा
Elfin Pink Penstemon
In German
Indisches Lungenkraut
Elfin Pink Penstemon
In French
Justicia adhatoda
Elfin Pink Penstemon
In Spanish
Justicia adhatoda
Elfin Pink Penstemon
In Greek
Justicia adhatoda
Elfin Pink Penstemon
In Portuguese
Justicia adhatoda
Elfin Penstemon -de-rosa
In Polish
Justicia adhatoda
Elfin Różowy Penstemon
In Latin
Justicia adhatoda
Elfin Pink Penstemon
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Angiosperms
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Scrophulariales
Lamiales
Family
Acanthaceae
Scrophulariaceae
Genus
Justicia
Penstemon
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Justicieae
-
Subfamily
Acanthoideae
-
Number of Species
658250
1
27800
👆🏻