PlantFiles: Chuparosa, Chuperosa, Hummingbird Bush
Justicia californica

(Justicia california) deciduous shrub to 4 ft.,
gray-green succulent plant with tubular red
to yellow flowers, native to deserts of
California, Ariz. and Mexico, will freeze to
ground but will usually grow back, good for
desert borders or dry coastal gardens.
It will not take total desert drought as it
grows in desert washes in the warmer
areas with Desert Willow. Often in sandy
plains. Mix with Desert Willow, California
Poppy, Encelia farinosa and Salvia
clevelandii(X) or Salvia apiana.

Beloperone californica aka Chuparosa
tolerates sand, is great for a bird and
a butterfly garden. Irs foliage color is
silver and type is deciduous.

The flower color is red.

The Soanish name Chuparosa
or chuparrosa literally translates
to "rose sucker" and is also the
popular name fo hummingbird
as evidenced by the irrestibility
to hummingbirds for this plant.

I've seen this growing in the wild on the 'El Camino Del Diablo Trail' (Devils' Highway) that runs between Ajo and Wellton in Arizona through the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge.

My chuparosa has been continuously blooming (at least two flowers) every day for over 6 years!

Attractive to wildlife and birds...especially Hummingbirds. The common name Chuparosa is Spanish for hummingbird, in fact.

This shrub has a range from northwestern Mexico into southern AZ and southern CA. It is seen along desert watercourses, mostly below 2500' elevation. This is one of the fewspecies of the genus Justicia to even extend into the United States.

Blooms from Feb to June. Sometimes known locally as Honeysuckle, it is said to have been eaten by the Native Americans of the Southwest.