# Gregg's tube tongue (*Justicia pilosella*) Gregg's tube tongue is a beautiful plant with long, tube-shaped flowers that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Its bright colors make it a lovely addition to gardens and parks! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 10 - **Habitat:** Urban areas ![Gregg's tube tongue](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Justicia_pilosella.jpg&width=800) Photo: iNaturalist user: seekingtrees, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Justicia_pilosella.jpg) ## Appearance The Gregg's tube tongue has vibrant pinkish-purple to white tubular flowers, often speckled, that give it its unique name. Its stems and leaves are covered in fine, soft hairs, making the plant appear fuzzy. These features distinguish it from smoother desert plants. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Acanthaceae - **Genus:** Justicia ## Interesting facts - It's a cousin to the famous shrimp plant. - Its 'tongue' flowers are perfect for long-nosed visitors! - Some call it "Desert Honeysuckle" for its sweet nectar. - This plant can bloom for months, even in tough heat! ## Special abilities - **Nectar Beacon:** Gregg's tube tongue has long, narrow floral tubes that attract specific long-tongued insects and hummingbirds for pollination. - **Fuzzy Shield:** Gregg's tube tongue has fuzzy leaves that help reduce water loss in dry climates and deter some hungry plant-eaters. - **Desert Survivor:** Gregg's tube tongue can thrive in harsh, dry desert conditions by efficiently managing scarce water resources. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 15-60 cm - **Spread:** 20-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 1-2.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to fall - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honeybee (*Apis mellifera*) — Visits for nectar and pollen - **Pollinates:** [Monarch Butterfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/monarch-butterfly) (*Danaus plexippus*) — Feeds on nectar, aids reproduction - **Pollinates:** [Black-chinned Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-chinned-hummingbird) (*Archilochus alexandri*) — Sips nectar from tube flowers ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Tube Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tube-flower): A tube flower has petals fused together at the base, forming a distinct tubular structure that typically holds nectar deep within. - [Fragrant Flower](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fragrant-flower): Fragrant flowers emit a pleasant aroma, often to attract pollinators or for defense. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always ask an adult before touching new plants. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Gregg's tube tongue? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Gregg's tube tongue? 15-60 cm ### How wide does Gregg's tube tongue spread? 20-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on Gregg's tube tongue? 1-2.5 cm ### When does Gregg's tube tongue bloom? Late spring to fall ### Is Gregg's tube tongue edible? No ### Is Gregg's tube tongue toxic? None ### What is Gregg's tube tongue's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Fort Brown](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-brown) — US · Historic Site - [Shackelford County Courthouse Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/shackelford-county-courthouse-historic-district) — Texas, US · Historic District - [Thurber](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/thurber) — Texas, US · Neighborhood - [San Antonio Zoo](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/san-antonio-zoo) — Texas, US · Zoo - [Alamo Plaza Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/alamo-plaza-historic-district) — Texas, US · Historic District - [Brackenridge Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/brackenridge-park) — Texas, US · Park [View all places to see Gregg's tube tongue](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/greggs-tube-tongue) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Gregg's tube tongue: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/greggs-tube-tongue)