
Plectranthus grallatus
Plectranthus grallatus
Safety & Hazards
None known
Cultivation Details
This species and Plectranthus fruticosus 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[1].
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+grallatus>
Pollinators
Insects
References
- [1]Flora of Southern Africa — Roux J.P. · 2003 · http://plants.jstor.org/search?st=662545 ↩︎An excellent on-line resource.
- [2]PlantZAfrica.com — http://www.plantzafrica.com ↩︎An excellent site giving detailed descriptions and uses of many S. African plants.
- [3]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
- [4]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.