Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder

Other Names:  Spurflower, Silver Plectranthus

Description:

An attractive variety grown primarily for its large, silvery, gray-green foliage; white flowers rise above foliage all season ; a lovely addition to the garden or containers; needs full light but avoid hot sun

Ornamental Features

Silver Spur Flower features showy spikes of white flowers with burgundy calyces rising above the foliage from mid spring to late fall. Its attractive serrated oval leaves remain grayish green in colour with showy silver variegation throughout the year.

Landscape Attributes

Silver Spur Flower is an herbaceous annual with tall flower stalks held atop a low mound of foliage. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.

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

Silver Spur Flower is recommended for the following landscape applications;

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

Planting & Growing

Silver Spur Flower will grow to be about 30 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. 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 fast-growing 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 species is not originally from North America.

Silver Spur Flower is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. 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.