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Plectranthus ernstii (Bonsai Mint) - A small sub-shrub that grows to about 18 inches tall with very swollen jointed gray stems, small slightly felty aromatic green leaves and light lilac-colored flowers that appear mid spring to late fall.
Plant in full to part sun in a well-drained soil. Water regularly. Hardy only to a light frost - this plant is best put under protection when temperatures drop much below freezing. The quite distinctive caudex makes this plant a great addition to a container succulent garden or as an interesting bonsai plant.
Plectranthus ernstii comes from rocky slopes from the summer rainfall, near frost-free regions of northern Eastern Cape to the Southern KwaZulu-Natal provinces of South Africa. The name for the genus comes from the Greek words 'plektron' meaning a "spur" and 'anthos' meaning "flower" in reference to the spur that is found at the base of the corolla tube of the type species Plectranthus fruticosus. Though often found under the name Plectranthus ernestii (we long spelled it this way!), the correct spelling for the specific epithet is "ernstii". This name given to this plant by Leslie Edward Wastell Codd to honor Ernst van Jaarsveld, now retired horticulturist at the South African Royal Botanic Garden at Kirstenbosch and author of the book The South African Plectranthus who discovered this plant in 1977 growing in the Oribi Gorge in southern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We thank our friend John Bleck was bringing this wonderful small succulent Plectranthus to our attention. We first began growing it in 2006 but discontinued selling it in 2014, though we still have this very fine plant in our own collection.
The information displayed on this page about Plectranthus ernstii is based on the research we have conducted about it in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about this plant as it grows in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant have performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we have received from others and welcome hearing from anyone with information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information that will aid others to better grow it.
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