i've got 2 shrimp plants for 4 years. live in zone 8 in georgia. i cut them back every winter and cover and they grow back to about 24- 30 in tall and about 18 wide every year but they don't bloom. the 2nd year they didn't produce blooms till late october but since then - nothing. any suggestions?

Hi & welcome! Are you able to add a pic showing the shrimp plant's spot in your yard?

east south east exposure

Nice looking plants. Hmm, nothing jumps out from the pic as the cause of the problem. About how much sun hits them?

Where did you get your plants?

There is one form of Justicia brandegeeana that is exclusively winter flowering (short days/long nights). It is jokingly called "Ugly Shrimp Plant" and is more of a pass-along plant since it doesn't have as much commercial appeal.

The other common forms are day-length neutral and will bloom all year if they don't freeze.

Shrimp Plant (Justicia brandegeeana)

They don't look like Justicia brandegeeana to me from the pic. Can you show a close-up of the stems. Humm, it seems odd that they won't bloom. I have some growing in full sun, part sun, and mostly shade.
What did the bloom look like when it bloomed?

they get around 8-10 hrs of full to dappled sun during summer. slightly less as fall comes and sun direction changes. when we 1st got them they looked like boiled coral shrimp.

Yes that sound like the shrimp plant! Your garden looks beautiful by the way. You've got me stumped. Mine are like weeds here. Always in bloom and new plants showing up here and there. When I have a plant that isn't performing well, I change its location. Those plants look really healthy. I don't fertilize mine. But, maybe try a bloom booster fertilizer and see if that makes the difference.

i've used a liquid fish fertilizer last year and this year (suggested online from some site previously). will try blooming fertilizer. Plants in front left - cast iron and hosta in pot (rabbits love the hosta if i don't keep them sprayed). Tree in background is japanese maple, far back on left is pyracantha, and mandatory sweet potato vine in pot on right.

"...mandatory sweet potato vine" LOL! They are everywhere, aren't they? ; )

Well here it is - October 5 and shrimp plants finally starting to bloom! Yipee! This must be the variety that loves 50s F nights and 70s F days.

A great update!