Plant and garden books speak of foliage plants with such high regard that I’ve always felt guilty for being a “flowers guy.” It isn’t that I don’t appreciate foliage, but my heart sings when flowers appear.
This plectranthus is a bit of an exception. It has been in my collection for 20+ years. Similar to the geraniums and fuchsias I’ve had for decades, I keep it going through cuttings, which root really easily.
This plant varies from year to year in how great it looks based on my ability and willingness to give it the care that it wants.
When I do give the plants what they need (lots of room, lots of food, lots of water and shade), they fill out wonderfully and the foliage is a real knock-out.
Really late in the season, the plants will throw up white flower spikes, too, which could be pretty. They never really get a chance, though, because they come so late and there aren’t enough of them to put on a real show.
My plans for these plants (there are 4-5 of them right now in the greenhouse) for 2020 is to pot them up in fresh fertile soil and get them outside in a safe, shady place so they can really shine.