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Lamiaceae FAMILY

Plectranthus fruticosus

Plectranthus fruticosus

Edibility
0/5
Medicinal
3/5

Safety & Hazards

The plant is known to have embryo- and fetotoxic activities on rodents[1].

Cultivation Details

HabitShrub
Growth—

Prefers a shady position, though some cultivars can tolerate full sun[2, 3]. Often grown as an ornamental, there are some named varieties[2]. The leaves and branches are aromatic, and release a pungent odour when touched or crushed. Whether pleasant or objectionable tends to be a matter of opinion - one of the common names for this plant is skunk bush[2].. This species and Plectranthus grallatus are often confused in the herbarium. There are minor differences in the colour of the gland-dots, flower colour and toothing of the leaf margins; the main difference, however, is their range. Plectranthus grallatus is found further inland and at higher elevations than Plectranthus fruticosus, their ranges only very occasionally overlapping[3].

Propagation

Seed - sow in well-drained soil, covering lightly with a thin layer of sand, and place in a warm but shaded spot. The seed germinates in about three weeks[2]. Cuttings of Plectranthus species generally root easily - soft tips root faster than semi-hardwood growth. The cuttings are best taken 60 - 100mm long with three or four nodes, making the cut just below a node. Place them in sand, perlite, vermiculite or peat, or any mixture of these, keep them moist and shaded and they should root in 2 - 3 weeks[2] Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Plectranthus+fruticosus>

Pollinators

Insects

References

  1. [1]Plectranthus: A review of ethnobotanical uses — Lukhoba C.W.; Simmonds M.S.J.; Paton A.J. · 2006 ↩︎An excellent guide to the uses of Plectranthus species, giving the basic uses and the literature supporting this.
  2. [2]PlantZAfrica.com — http://www.plantzafrica.com ↩︎An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
  3. [3]Flora of Southern Africa — Roux J.P. · 2003 · http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=662545 ↩︎An excellent on-line resource.
  4. [4]Plectranthus: A plant for the future? — Rice L.J.; Brits G.J.; Potgieter C.J.; Van Staden J. · 2011 ↩︎A review of the Plectranthus species with potential as economic plants