Plant Guide

Other Names:  Swedish Ivy, Candleplant, Spur Flower

Brand:  Ball

Description:

Attractive variety grown primarily for its stunning silvery gray-green foliage; mounded upright form should be occasionally trimmed to maintain shape; a lovely addition to the garden or containers; heat tolerant

Ornamental Features

Silver Shield Plectranthus's attractive serrated heart-shaped leaves emerge silver in spring, turning grayish green in color with showy silver variegation the rest of the year on a plant with a spreading habit of growth. It features dainty spikes of silvery blue flowers rising above the foliage in late summer.

Landscape Attributes

Silver Shield Plectranthus is an herbaceous annual with a ground-hugging habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance plant, and can be pruned at anytime. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Silver Shield Plectranthus is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Groundcover
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Silver Shield Plectranthus will grow to be about 30 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 30 inches. When grown in masses or used as a bedding plant, individual plants should be spaced approximately 24 inches apart. Its foliage tends to remain dense right to the ground, not requiring facer plants in front. Although it's not a true annual, this plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Silver Shield Plectranthus is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its spreading habit of growth, it is ideally suited for use as a 'spiller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the edges where it can spill gracefully over the pot. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.