Justicia spicigera aka Mexican Indigo

Justicia spicigera is a woody shrub. It belongs to the Acanthaceae family. Common names include Mexican honeysuckle, mohintli, and yaxan. Kew gives its native range as Mexico to northwestern Colombia. It also grows wild from the Bahamas to Hispaniola. The species grows in the tropics, where a dry season occurs. Wild plants grow in forests, thickets, and hedges. They live in both damp and dry sites. They grow from near sea level to about 5,900 feet [1,800 metres].

The shrub has many branches. It can grow upright or scramble. Useful Tropical Plants gives its usual height as 3.3–4.9 feet [1–1.5 metres]. Chicago Botanic Garden reports a height of 6 feet [1.8 metres]. It describes a low form that spreads to make a mat. These sources show a range of heights and shapes. The plant grows in the wild and in gardens. People grow it for flowers and household uses.

The orange flowers stand out in the garden. Chicago Botanic Garden lists blooms in all months of the year. It notes that birds and butterflies visit the plant. Gardeners can use the shrub as a specimen plant. This means they can grow it as a feature. Its spread and bright blooms give it its main stated garden value. The supplied accounts do not describe the fruit or bark. They give no leaf shape details for this species.

Chicago Botanic Garden lists full sun or part shade for garden growth. It lists medium water needs and USDA hardiness zones 8–11. Wild plants grow in both damp and dry ground. These records show where wild plants live. They do not show a tested plan for garden watering. The sources give no set soil mix or way to prune. They name no pests or diseases for this species.

People have long used the leaves to wash clothes. Hot water turns the leaves dark, then blue. The blue tint helps white cloth look brighter. People mix the plant with indigo to dye wool dark blue. In Guatemala, people grow bushes at home for laundry use. Traders take fresh branches to highland markets to sell. Past accounts suggest Maya people used it to paint surfaces. Folk medicine uses include treating dysentery and insect stings or bites. These records do not prove that these treatments work. Useful Tropical Plants lists no known food uses or hazards. This does not prove it is safe for people or pets.