Students for Stewardship The Cork Board
← Back to the library

Lavender Spur Flower

Plectranthus (plek-TRAN-thus)

Family: Lamiaceae Non-native Herbaceous (1-3 ft)

‘Mona lavender’ is a broadleaf evergreen, herbaceous perennial shrub with a dense, rounded form. It belongs to the mint family (Lamiaceae) and is a hybrid of two South African parents: Plectranthus saccatus and Plectranthus hilliardiae . In North Carolina it is grown as a houseplant. It requires partial shade and soil that is high in organic matter and moist with good drainage. It requires zones 10 or 11 for full-time outside growth. In cooler climates, it may be placed outside in summer in a place that receives morning sun to full or partial shade. It may grow 1 to 2 feet tall and wide. Pinch or prune the stems to maintain a bushy rounded form. Propagate by stem cutting. The lavender blooms begin to appear when the days get shorter in fall and will often bloom into spring, with adequate indirect light. Deadheading helps to extend the blooming period. The shiny dark green leaves are ornamental with purple undersides. Unless grown in zones 10 or 11, plant ‘Mona lavender’ in a container kept indoors most of the year. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems : No significant problems. VIDEO Created by Elisabeth Meyer for "Annuals, Perennials, Vines, and Groundcovers," a plant identification course developed in partnership with Longwood Gardens. More information on Plectranthus .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 45 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Fills a similar niche Begonia Heuchera americana Pelargonium x hybridum

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Herbaceous Perennial; Perennial; Shrub
Life cycle
Perennial
USDA zones
10a, 10b, 11a, 11b
Light
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist
Mature size
Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Medium
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (1-3 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Erect; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Glossy dark green leaves have purple undersides. Margins toothed.
Flower color
Purple/Lavender
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Spike
Flower shape
Lipped; Tubular
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
Showy 2-lipped lavender flowers with specks of purple occur on spikes of purple stems.
Bloom time
Fall; Spring; Winter
Stem color
Purple/Lavender
Stem detail
Purple stems
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
South Africa
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Container; Houseplants; Patio
Garden tags
#lavender flowers #houseplant #showy flowers #purple stems #small shrub #fall flowers #spring flowers #purple leaves #apvg-a #apvg #partial shade tolerant #container plant
Problems & Resistance
Propagation
Stem Cutting

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.