KINDOM: Plantae
ORDER: Lamiales
FAMILY: Lamiaceae
SUBFAMILY: Nepetoideae
GENUS: Plectranthus
This family of 350 diverse foliage plants includes coleus, Swedish ivy, and Cuban oregano. Many species of Plectranthus have fragrant foliage, like their close relative the mint family. While some smell pleasant, others have a much more pungent scent when crushed. The blooms of Plectranthus are generally not the main attraction in this group, but there are some exceptions.
These plants grow well here on the Coffs Coast and also make excellent houseplants or container plants. The flowering types generally bloom outdoors during the winter and continue until spring, so are looking quite special now.
To keep them looking their best give them an occasional pruning or pinching back. They are also dead easy to propagate – at the base of the cutting, trim the stem directly below where the bottom leaf attaches, remove several sets of leaves above the new cut, leaving 1 or 2 sets of leaves above that. Place the stem in moist soil or alternatively some folk like to root stems in a glass of water.
