Megaskepasma erythrochlamys aka Brazilian Red Cloak

Megaskepasma erythrochlamys is a shrub that keeps its leaves year-round. It belongs to the acanthus family, Acanthaceae. Common names include Brazilian red cloak and red justicia. Kew gives Venezuela and Suriname as its native range. It comes from a wet, tropical climate. In gardens, it grows into a dense, round bush. It has many branches. Broad leaves and bright flower spikes add interest all year.

Garden plants reach about 5–8 feet [1.5–2.5 metres] tall and wide. The RHS says they reach full size in five to ten years. The oval leaves have strong veins. Their surface has folds like pleats. Leaves can reach about 1.3 feet [0.4 metres] long. Flower spikes stand upright above the leaves. They can reach about 1 foot [0.3 metres] long. Small white flowers grow from large red bracts. These bracts give the plant much of its bright colour. Each tube-shaped flower has two long, curved lobes.

The main show of flowers lasts from late summer into winter. A few blooms may appear at other times of year. Chicago Botanic Garden records blooms from July through December. Hummingbirds visit the tube-shaped flowers. Where winters stay warm, use it as a hedge or screen. It also suits planting on its own. It grows in pots and can serve as a houseplant. Its size also suits a conservatory. Its flowers and leaves add interest in winter.

Grow it in full sun or part shade, with shelter. Give it moist soil that drains well. Water in moderate amounts. The RHS lists loam as a soil choice. It accepts acid, neutral, or alkaline soil. Keep it under glass or where frost cannot reach it. The RHS rates it H1B. This allows outdoor use in Britain in summer. Missouri Botanical Garden lists USDA zones 10–11. Chicago gives zones 9–11. The sources differ on the cold end of its range. Pots suit patios in warm weather. Move them to a frost-free space for the colder months.

Prune hard in spring to keep growth dense and bushy. Grow new plants from seed, softwood cuttings, or semi-hardwood cuttings. Missouri Botanical Garden rates its care needs as medium. Both garden sources report few major disease problems. Watch for mealybugs and scale insects. Red spider mites and whitefly may also attack under glass. The sources give no evidence on which parts are edible. They give no evidence on toxicity either.