Description
An evergreen perennial, aromatic, succulent herb, which grows to 500 mm high and 600 mm wide. The deep blue and purple flowers are borne from September to April. This Plectranthus has succulent, grey-green leaves, which form an attractive ground cover even when the plant is not in flower. They are used to scare away snakes from human dwellings (perhaps because of their unpleasant aromatic smell) and other documented reports indicate that these plants can be used effectively as an air purifier. Plants perform exceptionally well as ground covers in light shade and full sun. Stems root easily and the plant spreads, forming a tidy clump. The plant is often used in the landscaping of difficult sites. It may look a little stressed in very dry conditions, but bounces back when it receives some water. It is drought resistant. The plant prefers loam to sandy soil with good drainage and has relatively low water requirements. It is an ideal plant for containers and rockeries.
This is the larval host plant for Bush Bronze, Garden Inspector, Mocker Blue, Eyed Pansy, the March Commodor and the African Leaf Commodor butterflies. The name is derived from the Greek plektron = a spur; anthos= a flower. These plants have conspicuously spurred flowers. Neochilus means new lipped which refers to the shape of the flower.