5 useful tips for growing Plectranthus

There’s nothing like striking foliage in a garden to catch your eye. If you’re looking for such an addition to your yard which doesn’t require heavy care, meet the Plectranthus - an intriguing plant that may spice up your garden design.

Plectranthus is a relative newcomer to the world of gardening. Related to coleus, you’ll probably admire Plectranthus, more for its beautiful, architecturally refined foliage rather than the slender spires of white blossoms that appear late in the season.
How it differs from Coleus, is Plectranthus leaves are subtle combinations of silver, green and creamy white. Plectranthus are also very durable and able to tolerate all sorts of abuse, including strong wind, drought and even salt spray. It can reach one metre in height with an equal girth.

The plants do well in direct sunlight as well as partial shade. You can fit these versatile plants in containers and hanging baskets and plant them alone for a stunning display or blend them into colourful plant combinations.

There are lots of Plectranthus species and varieties to choose from. Because of its velvety textured, shimmering silver leaves, Plectranthus has become very popular.

Varieties include 'Marginatus' which has a snowy white, scalloped margin accenting each leaf. 'Athens Gem' is mottled in different shades of chartreuse, ranging from apple green to olive. If you’re looking to create a mixed-plant garden, both work wonderfully in tandem with other plants, especially blue-flowering ones, such as larkspur, campanula, phlox and verbena.

'Marginatus' branches stretch to one metre or longer. Each two-tone green leaf is scalloped and edged in glistening white. 'Green Heart' also sprawls and has leaves in shades of green and white. You can also use Green Heart and its varieties, sometimes called Greek oregano or Spanish thyme, in the kitchen: you can substitute the leaves for thyme or mint.

You’ll find these plants grown from cuttings and sold in garden centres as starter plants or larger plants in hanging baskets.

Enjoy the plants outdoors during the summer, and either overwinter them in containers as houseplants. Alternatively, you can take cuttings to make plants for next year's garden.

Like their coleus relatives, Plectranthus cuttings are easy to root in a glass of water.

Take cuttings of stems with three sets of leaves and remove the lower four leaves.
Then submerge the bottom five centimetres of the stems in a container of water.

When they have a few strong roots, pot up the rooted cuttings in a mixture of peat moss and potting soil, and water the newly potted plants generously for the first couple of weeks while they become established and begin new growth. Pinch off tips of the growing plants frequently to encourage branching.

The thick and aromatic leaves of Plectranthus make them nearly impervious to insects. They’re also pretty touch against disease so you won’t find yourself dealing with an ailing plaint.
What you must look out for though is root rot. If your Plectranthus is growing in soggy soil, it may develop this soggy condition. Make sure the soil is well drained and allow it to dry between watering.

Plectranthus is one of the toughest and most attractive types of plants you can have in your garden. You can plant it as a feature or combine it with other plants and flowers. Follow these tips and you’ll have another beautiful addition to your garden.