Plectranthus verticillatus

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Plectranthus verticillatus
Plectranthus verticillatus 1.JPG
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Lamiales
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Plectranthus
Species:
P. verticillatus
Binomial name
Plectranthus verticillatus
Synonyms [1]

Plectranthus nummulariusBriq.

Plectranthus verticillatus (syn. Plectranthus nummularius [2] ), Swedish ivy, Swedish begonia or whorled plectranthus [3] is a plant in the family Lamiaceae (Labiatae), genus Plectranthus . Despite its common name, it is not close to the ivy family of the genus Hedera .

Contents

Description

The plant has aromatic glossy, green, round leaves, which show a deep purple color in the center sometimes and tend to trail, reaching a height of between 10 and 30 cm and extends around 60 cm. This deep purple can also be found on the plant stems and on the underside of leaves. The leaves, which are widely serrated, are fleshy and rounded between 64 and 90 mm, with purple and hairy undersides with reddish sessile glands.

The upright racemes appear white, pale violet or pale pink and can sprout sporadically throughout the year (but more typically in spring and late autumn), which form verticillasters of 2-4 flowers and 2–3 mm bracts. The fruits are 1 mm nuts, brown in colour and wrinkled. [4] [5]

The name "Swedish ivy" is deceptive: the plant is not thigmotropic (meaning it does not cling to walls with the roots when it grows), is not native to Sweden, and is not closely related to the genus of ivy (Hedera). Some variegated, silvery plants called Swedish Ivy grown in pots and hanging baskets are Plectranthus oertendahlii from coastal river gorges of KwaZulu-Natal. [6]

Distribution

Plectranthus verticillatus is native to southern Africa where it occurs in the Cape Provinces, KwaZulu-Natal, Eswatini, the Northern Provinces and southern Mozambique. [7] It is found naturalized in El Salvador, Honduras, the Leeward Islands, the Venezuela Antilles, the Windward Islands, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Hawaii as well as south-east Queensland and coastal areas of New South Wales in Australia. [3] [7] [8]

Use as ornamental plant

Plectranthus verticillatus is a robust plant doing well in indirect sunlight, mostly cultivated as hanging houseplant. In frost-free areas, it is also found as groundcover in gardens or sprouting down walls. [9] [10]

It likes to stay moist and it also responds well to pruning. It can easily be rooted with cuttings and its vulnerability is low; but a weak plant can be infested with spider mites. [11]

A notable specimen of Plectranthus verticillatus can be found above the mantel in the President of the United States' Oval Office. It was a gift to President John F. Kennedy in 1961, and can be seen in photographs taken in the office during every administration since. [12] Interns, aides, and other white house workers are often granted clippings of the famous plant which they grow and further distribute to friends and family. [13]

Related Research Articles

<i>Hedera</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Araliaceae

Hedera, commonly called ivy, is a genus of 12–15 species of evergreen climbing or ground-creeping woody plants in the family Araliaceae, native to Western Europe, Central Europe, Southern Europe, Macaronesia, northwestern Africa and across central-southern Asia east to Japan and Taiwan. Several species are cultivated as climbing ornamentals, and the name ivy especially denotes the commonly grown English ivy, which is frequently planted to clothe brick walls.

<i>Plectranthus</i> Family of shrubs

Plectranthus is a genus of about 85 species of flowering plants from the sage family, Lamiaceae, found mostly in southern and tropical Africa and Madagascar. Common names include spur-flower. Plectranthus species are herbaceous perennial plants, rarely annuals or soft-wooded shrubs, sometimes succulent; sometimes with a tuberous base.

<i>Hedera helix</i> Species of flowering plant

Hedera helix, the common ivy, English ivy, European ivy, or just ivy, is a species of flowering plant of the ivy genus in the family Araliaceae, native to most of Europe and western Asia. A rampant, clinging evergreen vine, it is a familiar sight in gardens, waste spaces, and wild areas, where it grows on walls, fences, tree trunks, etc. across its native and introduced habitats. As a result of its hardy nature, and its tendency to grow readily without human assistance, ivy attained popularity as an ornamental plant, but escaped plants have become naturalised outside its native range and grow unchecked in myriad wild and cultivated areas. Ivy has considerable cultural significance and symbolism.

<i>Coleus scutellarioides</i> Species of flowering plant

Coleus scutellarioides, commonly known as coleus, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to southeast Asia through to Australia. Typically growing to 60–75 cm (24–30 in) tall and wide, it is a bushy, woody-based evergreen perennial, widely grown for the highly decorative variegated leaves found in cultivated varieties. Another common name is painted nettle, reflecting its relationship to deadnettles, which are in the same family. The synonyms Coleus blumei, Plectranthus scutellarioides and Solenostemon scutellarioides are also widely used for this species.

<i>Senecio tamoides</i> Species of vine

Senecio tamoides, also known as Canary creeper, false grapevine, and parlor ivy, is a climbing member of the genus Senecio of the family Asteraceae that is native to Southern Africa. It is used as an ornamental plant for its showy yellow, daisy-like flowers in late autumn through to winter.

<i>Agapanthus praecox</i> Species of flowering plant

Agapanthus praecox is a popular garden plant around the world, especially in Mediterranean climates. It is native to the Kwa-Zulu Natal and Western Cape provinces of South Africa. Local names include agapant, bloulelie, isicakathi and ubani. Most of the cultivated plants of the genus Agapanthus are hybrids or cultivars of this species. It is divided into three subspecies: subsp.praecox, subsp. orientalis and subsp. minimus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Forests of KwaZulu-Natal</span> Forest vegetation type in South Africa

Areas of forest which grow in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa mostly on south facing slopes in higher rainfall areas, and along the humid coastal areas. Different types of forest can be identified by their species composition which depends mostly on the altitude, latitude and substrate in which they grow. South facing slopes are favourable for the development of forest as they are more shaded, and therefore cooler and retain more moisture than the northern slopes. The extra moisture on the south slopes is not only favoured by forest trees, but also helps to prevent or subdue wildfires. Fires can also be blocked by cliff faces and rocks or boulders on these slopes, and by streams or rivers at the base of the slopes. The coastal regions are conducive to forest formation, because of high rainfall and humidity which are favoured by forest trees and also help to prevent or subdue fires. The rivers of the coastal areas are also broader than further inland, which may often prevent fires from spreading long distances, and fires generally burn uphill and therefore more often away from areas at low altitude.

<i>Millettia grandis</i> Species of legume

Millettia grandis is a species of plant in the family Fabaceae from South Africa. It is commonly called umzimbeet which is a name derived from the isiZulu name umSimbithwa.

<i>Precis archesia</i> Species of butterfly

Precis archesia, the garden inspector or garden commodore, is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae, native to Subsaharan Africa.

<i>Rhoicissus tomentosa</i> Species of grapevine

Rhoicissus tomentosa is a vigorous, evergreen vine that is indigenous to the afro-montane forests of southern Africa. It is increasingly popular as an ornamental creeper in gardens, and it has a wide range of uses in traditional medicine.

<i>Eucomis bicolor</i> Species of flowering plant

Eucomis bicolor, the variegated pineapple lily or just pineapple lily, is a bulbous species of flowering plant in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae, native to Southern Africa. The pale green, purple-margined flowers are arranged in a spike (raceme), topped by a "head" of green leaflike bracts. It is cultivated as an ornamental bulbous plant, although its flowers have an unpleasant smell, attractive to the main pollinators, flies.

<i>Gasteria croucheri</i> Species of succulent

Gasteria croucheri is a succulent plant, native to KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa.

<i>Cyrtanthus obliquus</i> Species of flowering plant

Cyrtanthus obliquus, the Knysna lily, is a species of flowering plant in the amaryllis family. It has spiralling leaves and large pendulous flowers. It is native to coastal grasslands from KwaZulu-Natal to the Eastern Cape, South Africa.

<i>Coleus neochilus</i> Species of flowering plant

Coleus neochilus, synonym Plectranthus neochilus, which is colloquially known as lobster bush, fly bush or mosquito bush, is a perennial ground cover with highly fragrant, partially scalloped, ovate leaves and purple blue inflorescent spikes.

<i>Plectranthus oertendahlii</i> Species of flowering plant

Plectranthus oertendahlii is a species of flowering plant in the sage and mint family, Lamiaceae. Common names include silverleaf spurflower, Swedish ivy, Oertendahl's spurflower, November lights, and Brazilian coleus though it is native to eastern South Africa rather than Brazil. Plectranthus oertendahlii and the cultivar ‘Uvongo’ have gained the Royal Horticultural Society’s Award of Garden Merit.

<i>Plectranthus hadiensis</i> Species of plant

Plectranthus hadiensis is a perennial herbaceous plant of the family Lamiaceae.

Plectranthus ambiguus, the pincushion spurflower, is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to the Eastern Cape and Kwazulu-Natal provinces of South Africa. Its cultivar 'Manguzuku' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. Flowers are pinkish purple with faint purple lines on the upper edge.

Plectranthus purpuratus or cliff spurflower is a species of flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to South Africa's Kwazulu-Natal and Mpumalanga provinces, as well as eSwatini. The name is frequently misapplied to Plectranthus ciliatus, presumably because both have purple-backed leaves.

<i>Plectranthus ernstii</i> Species of flowering plant

Plectranthus ernstii, often called bonsai mint or bonsai spurflower, is a plant in the family Lamiaceae (Labiatae), genus Plectranthus.

References

  1. ↑ "Plectranthus nummularius Briq". African flowering plants database. Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques Ville de Geneve. Retrieved 2009-02-03.
  2. ↑ cf. theplantlist.org: Plectranthus verticillatus (L.f.) Druce. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  3. 1 2 "Swedish ivy Plectranthus verticillatus". Weeds of Australia. University of Queensland. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  4. ↑ cf. Description and picture at PlantZAfrica.com: Plectranthus verticillatus (L.f.) Druce. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  5. ↑ "Plectranthus verticillatus | Money Plant, Gossip | PLANTBOOK". PLANTBOOK. 2015-04-07. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  6. ↑ "Plectranthus verticillatus | PlantZAfrica.com". pza.sanbi.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  7. 1 2 cf. World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Plectranthus verticillatus_id=158574. Retrieved 13 February 2013.
  8. ↑ Conn, B.J. "Plectranthus verticillatus (L.f.) Druce". PlantNET - New South Wales Flora Online. Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Sydney Australia. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  9. ↑ "Swedish Ivy Plant Care - Plectranthus species" . Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  10. ↑ "Plectranthus verticillatus - Planting, growing and propagating information from iGarden". www.igarden.com.au. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  11. ↑ "Plectranthus australis". www.mobot.org. Retrieved 2017-07-20.
  12. ↑ Andersen, Kurt (19 November 1984). "Living: A Permanent Oval Office Occupant". Time. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  13. ↑ "Living: Houseplant of the week: The world's most powerful plant". denverite.com. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
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