You can buy plants off Amazon.com? Who knew?

What happened with your shrimp plant has also happened to me---they just tend to decline after blooming. I usually get some cuttings before it begins to bud so I can start a new plant. As for what you can do now to help your plant, I would just give it good bright light (not direct sun) and higher humidity if you can. There is a chance it WILL come back if the roots aren't too damaged. I think those exotic variegated ones are a lot harder to keep going than the standard green ones.

THANK YOU, Shiver! I had no idea they decline after blooming. I don't think I would have gotten it if I'd known that. But. . . .the blooms were just fantastic. It was ALMOST worth it just for the couple of months that I had the blooms. Maybe I'd better try a standard green one next time. Thanks again.

Randi

Well I'm not sure they're *supposed to* decline after blooming, I just know that mine tend to go that way. Perhaps there's a super-shrimp-grower out there who has found the trick to making them last.

It is always disheartening to lose a plant, but I'm glad it gave you so much joy for a few months. I think that's what growing plants is all about! Currently I'm fascinated by hoyas, but from what I'm learning it may be 20 years before I get a bloom from my cuttings---egads. Good thing I like the foliage.... ;)

Hey Seaecho1, I just read something in a book that might help us both with future shrimp plants. "The Houseplant Expert" book by Dr. D.G. Hessayon says:

"When young, remove some of the first shrimp flowers to make sure that a vigorous bush is formed. Cut the plant back to half size each spring."

I've never removed the first flowers, so perhaps that's why they decline after blooming for me.

The thing that concerned me about your plant is when you mentioned it's leaves were limp, regardless of being wet or dry. To me, that sounds like root damage of some sort (making the plant unable to absorb water). Well, at least for next time maybe we can do better!

Just curious, what color are the blooms on the variegated?

I grew up in the tropics & remember this plant from childhood (I think its botanical name is Pachystachus?) The one I saw was solid green w/ shrimps colored dark mauve/light brown.

In the last couple of yrs. I've seen this same plant w/ yellow blooms, so I wonder what color the variegated has? Probably very petty whatever it was.

I've seen the yellow blooms and they really are gorgeous, but I think those only come on the non-variegated plant (but I'm not entirely sure). My plant *was* variegated and had the more common blooms, which are kind of an orangie-brown shade. It was just never as thick or lush and never seemed to really thrive---it finally crapped out on me and I didn't bother to take cuttings again. If there's a choice, I really think the plain green ones make better houseplants.

The name "Shrimp plant" is used for a few plants, but most commonly Justicia brandegeeana. The standard form has mauve bracts with white flowers, and may have either all green or variegated leaves. There is also a form with yellow bracts and red flowers. Pachystachys lutea, the Golden Shrimp Plant, has yellow bracts and white flowers, but is in the same family, Acanthaceae. Plants may take a break after flowering, but it sounds like your plant may have had some other problems. It's very easy to root new cuttings, so try to grow some new plants from what's left. In general, I like to unpot any plant that is in decline, and look at the roots and soil. The plant may be pot bound, or have root rot. Usually a fresh potting with some new, fast draining soil mix in a pot just larger than the current rootball will help. Good growing to you!
Ray

Here is a link that might be useful: Fresh Shrimp!

Ray, the variegated 'Shrimp Plant' Randi had was Beloperone.
She discarded the plant, so she can no longer check its roots, or take cuttings.
Are you saying Justicia and Beloperone are related? The Bel is in the Acanthaceae family.
You mention a Golden Shrimp..(Pachystachy) There's a plant called Golden Candles..do you know if this is one and the same? It's been years since I've seen one, so I can't recall its botanical name. Of course using common names isn't the proper way to find out a certain type of plant, but that's all I remember about this plant..Sorry...Toni

Ray, I found the plant on Accents..It's called Flaming Golden Candles, (pachystachys lutea) Toni

Ray, I followed your advice, and took the "sticks" that were remaining out of the pot. The plant wasn't rootbound, but had more roots than I suspected it would, considering the circumstances. I rinsed the roots thoroughly and got all the old potting soil off, which incidentally, was SOPPING wet, and I hadn't watered the plant in a few days. The roots were about half white and half tan, so looks like it was getting ready to rot, all right. I put it into a 3" pot (it was originally in a 4" before) with roughly half peat and half perlite. It looks so pitiful with just a few stems left, and one lone, small leaf atop one of the "sticks." But at least now I know I did what I could, and only time will tell. Thank you.

Randi

Beloperone guttata is a synonym (perhaps an older name?) for Justicia brandegeeana, so they are one and the same.
FWIW, I had a Pachystachys that was wilted and on its way out, and when I repotted and let it dry out, it perked up and is doing well. These plants seem to like moisture, but they do apparently need to dry out a bit, so hopefully the repotting and perlite will do the trick for you!