Plant, Tree & Shrub Library

Other Names:  Swedish Ivy, Candleplant, Spur Flower

Description:

Attractive variety grown primarily for its green and lemon yellow variegated foliage; mounded form should be occasionally trimmed to maintain shape; a lovely addition to the garden or containers; heat tolerant

Ornamental Features

Lemon Twist Plectranthus' attractive serrated heart-shaped leaves emerge chartreuse in spring, turning green in color with distinctive yellow edges the rest of the year on a plant with a spreading habit of growth.

Landscape Attributes

Lemon Twist 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.

Lemon Twist Plectranthus is recommended for the following landscape applications;

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

Planting & Growing

Lemon Twist Plectranthus will grow to be about 8 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 low and dense right to the ground. 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 particular variety is an interspecific hybrid.

Lemon Twist 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. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.