RE: Coleus lanuginosus
- To: m*@ucdavis.edu
- Subject: RE: Coleus lanuginosus
- From: d* f*
- Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2000 23:18:28 -0700 (PDT)
Kay,
By whatever name you call it; plectranthus or coleus,
it is a very attractive winter blooming herbaceous
perennial which is also fairly drought tolerant in the
Bay Area. I've grown this plant for several years now,
after first having seen it growing in the African hill
section at the UC Berkeley Botanic Garden. It is my
experience that it grows best with full sun, or else
it is prone to get leggy and straggly, but bright
shade or partial shade may be more suitable in hotter
southern California. It is fairly drought tolerant in
good soils, and can easily go 10 days between
waterings here in Berkeley. The bright blue flowers
last for several months if removed after flowers are
spent, and it is easily propagated from cuttings,
which can be stuck directly into fertile soil without
pre-rooting, if done in the fall. The plant was
written up in Pacific Horticulture Magazine a few
years ago, in an article titled "Plants to Play With",
which listed the plants awarded special merit from
that year's presentation of California Horticultural
Society member's plants. I always thought that if
more people saw it in bloom in December, it would
really catch on, but it hasn't struck the general
public's fancy in northern California, anyway. I am
glad to see that it is in the trade, however...
- "DeFato, Joan" <joan.defato@arboretum.org> wrote:
> According to Selected Plants for Southern California
> Gardens, it is
> Plectranthus lanuginosis from Ethiopia gowing to 4'
> or higher with support,
> will take cold down to 25 degrees, will grow in a
> container and is a good
> spiller.
>
> Joan DeFato
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: John Dreher [d*@seti.org]
> Sent: Monday, October 16, 2000 2:31 PM
> To: Mediterranean Plants List
> Subject: Coleus lenuginosus
>
>
>
> I just bought this from a local nursery because the
> description said
> perennial for part shade, fall/winter flowering,
> nice big deep blue
> flowers...but the sales clerk couldn't find any
> listing of it in her
> references. The closest I've got on the web is a
> name-only list
> including "Coleus lanuginosus" with IK after the
> name - does that mean
> it's included in the Index Kewensis? How do I find
> out what the
> current name of this plant is and how to grow it??
>
> Thanks!
> Kay Dreher
>
__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Messenger - Talk while you surf! It's FREE.
http://im.yahoo.com/
