Plant as a shrubby groundcover under trees with Clivia, Crinum moorei, Scadoxus multiflorus var. katherinae, Streptocarpus and Thunbergia natalensis for a wonderful forest glade display. Prune into low, clipped hedges in more formal semi-shaded areas, and use in containers on verandahs and shady areas of the garden.

Propagation : Plectranthus spp. are very easy to propagate by cuttings with no specialized training or rooting hormones required! Cuttings can be taken at any time, but spring and early summer are best for quick results.Choose healthy plants and take softwood cuttings from the growing points. Use a sharp, clean instrument to cut approximately 0.5 m lengths from just below a node, and remove most of the leaves to reduce water loss. Keep cuttings moist and set as soon as possible in a clean, fast-draining medium such as sand or vermiculite. Place in a well-ventilated, shady position and water daily, or more if required in very hot weather. Roots will develop in 3 to 4 weeks, when the cuttings can be transferred to containers filled with potting medium. As Plectranthus grows so easily from cuttings, seed is not often used for propagation. Sow the fine seed in early summer, distributing it sparsely on the suface of a prepared seedling tray and cover with a thin layer of fine medium. Water regularly until the seedlings are ready to be potted on, after about three weeks.

Cultivation : Grow in humus-rich, well-drained, acid soil in shady to semi-shady conditions (in very humid regions it can be grown in full sun). Once established, plants need little watering. Feed with 2:3:2 every three months in summer to keep plants healthy. Prune plants every year after flowering to remove dead and diseased wood. Plants trained as hedges or shaped bushes should be kept trimmed to maintain a compact shape. Container plants need replacing annually. Water pots twice a week and feed fortnightly with a liquid fertilizer.

Pests : Eelworms can be a problem. These tiny worms live in the soil and attack the root system. Take cuttings of the plants and remove and burn roots of affected pants. Nematicides are available commercially, but handle these with care as they are usually highly poisonous. Most insects avoid Plectranthus plants, possibly because the high essential oil content of the leaves makes them unpalatable. Rust and blight are fungal diseases which do occasionally attack the plants, but these can be controlled by spraying with appropriate fungicides.