Plectranthus

HARDINESS: Tender
PREFERRED SOIL pH: Near neutral
PREFERRED SOIL TYPE: Wall-drained, fertile
PREFERRED LIGHT: Sun to partial shade
ATTRIBUTES: Shades of lime and grass green make this plectranthus a subtly interesting plant. Foliage with novel textures and variegation; use in beds, pots, baskets, or as specimens
SEASON OF INTEREST: Spring to fall; overwinter as houseplants
FAVORITES: Trailing P. rnadagascariensis 'Marginatus' and P. amboinicus 'Green Heart'; 'Athens Gem' for upright form
QUIRKS: Pinch growing tips to encourage branching
GOOD NEIGHBORS: Campanula, larkspur, phlox, verbena
WHERE IT GROWS BEST: Sun to part shade; moist, well-drained, fertile soil
POTENTIAL PROBLEMS: Root rot when grown in wet soil
CRITTER RESISTANCE: Excellent
SOURCE: Bedding plants, curlings
DIMENSIONS: 2-3 ft (0.6-1 m) tall and 3 ft (1 m) wide

Plectranthus in the Landscape

There's always room in the garden for plants that feature textured, variegated, or otherwise intriguing foliage, and this is just what you get with the garden newcomer plectranthus. Related to coleus, another care-free annual, plectranthus, like coleus, is valued more for its beautiful, architecturally refined foliage rather than the slender spires of white blossoms that appear late in the season. But unlike the brazenly colored leaves of coleus, plectranthus leaves are discreetly handsome combinations of silver, green, and creamy white. Best of all, plectranthus can tolerate all sorts of abuse including strong wind,drought, and even salt spray. The plants bask in full sun as well as luxuriating in partial shade. Often used in containers and featured in hanging baskets, plectranthus can go solo or fit into colorful plant combinations.

Meet the Candidates

There are lots of plectranthus species and varieties to choose from. Because of its velvety textured, shimmering silver leaves, P. argentatus is currently one of the garden's biggest celebrities. P. argentatus prefers moist soil and partial shade, although it endures occasional drought and full sun. It's a husky plant, reaching 3 ft (1 m) in height with an equal girth and is fully capable of becoming the centerpiece of a container. Also upright, but forming a more compact, leafy plant, P. fosteri has felted, pale-green leaves that emit a pleasant nutty scent when bruised. The species is beautiful, but its varieties are even more intriguing. P. fosteri 'Marginata' has a snowy white scalloped margin accenting each leaf, while 'Athens Gem' is mottled in different shades of chartreuse, ranging from apple green to olive. Both work wonderfully in tandem with other plants, especially blue-flowering ones, such as larkspur, campanula, phlox, and verbena.

Although P. rnadagascariensis 'Marginatus' doesn't begin its career as a trailer, it assumes that stance as soon as the branches stretch to 3 ft (1 m) or longer. Each two-tone green leaf is scalloped and edged in glistening white. Also prone to sprawling, P. amboinicus 'Green Heart' and 'Marginatus' have leaves in shades of green and white. Used in Spanish cooking, P. amboinicus and its varieties, sometimes called Greek oregano or Spanish thyme, also earn their keep in the kitchen. The leaves can substitute for thyme or mint, depending upon your taste.

Because of their thick, aromatic leaves, plectranthus are virtually impervious to insects. Similarly, they rarely succumb to diseases, but growing in soggy soil can lead to fatal root rot. Plant in well-drained soil, and allow the soil to dry between waterings to prevent root rot.

Increasing the Bounty

Plants are typically grown from cuttings and sold in garden centers as starter plants or as larger plants in hanging baskets. Enjoy die plants outdoors during the summer, and either overwinter them in containers as houseplants, or take cuttings to make plants for next year's garden.

Like their coleus kin, plectranthus cuttings are easy to root in a glass of water. Take cuttings of stems with
3 sets of leaves and remove the lower 4 leaves. Then submerge the bottom 2 in (5 cm) 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.