February 2021 - 36

CULTURE REPORT
BY CHUCK PAVLICH
A
distant relative of the
mint family, plectranthus
hail mostly from South
Africa, where they grow into
mighty shrubs. Almost unknown
20 years ago, plectranthus
have become an important
placeholder in shelf space at
the retail level in the last several
years. Terra Nova's plectranthus
Velvet collection has greatly
improved both the habit and
flower size of the species types
they originated from. Five
distinct varieties are available
and offer a much-extended
bloom time, in addition to the
improved floral and growth habit
aspects of the breeding. Two of
the varieties, Idol and Starlet,
offer excellent " no pinch, no
PGR " performance.
Plectranthus
Velvet Collection
CULTIVAR DESCRIPTIONS
Plectranthus 'Velvet Elvis' was
Terra Nova's first plectranthus
improvement, and it gave the
industry the large flowers
that earlier breeding lacked.
With superbly dark and glossy
foliage, it was a star performer
and quickly gained popularity
showing its blue-purple flowers
over a very long time.
'Velvet Diva' is an
exceptionally heavy-flowering
variety with large racemes of
lilac-violet that cover the entire
plant. Its glossy, mallard-green
foliage is the perfect foil for the
flowers, making them pop in a
flamboyant display.
The likes of plectranthus
'Velvet Idol' have never been
seen previously. Very large,
bright, icy blue flowers on short,
dense spikes flood this plant
with cool color. 'Velvet Idol'
has a tight, compact habit that
requires no pinching or PGRs.
'Velvet Starlet' has the
A vast improvement in breeding, Velvet
plectranthus offers large flowers, bright
color and superior strength.
34 FEBRUARY 2021 GPNMAG.COM
strongest carmine-pink flowers
available in this genus. Its
naturally compact habit and
stunning floral display make this
new cultivar " eye candy " for
certain. Starlet grows perfectly
for either 4- or 6-inch pots.
Plectranthus 'Velvet Lady'
is a delightful combination
of bright, rose-pink flowers
in large racemes and healthy
pine-green, semi-glossy leaves.
This showstopper blooms for
a very long time and is easy to
grow. It is also quite vigorous,
lending itself to larger container
combos.
CULTURE NOTES
Always start with certified
virus-free stock from a trusted
source.
Plectranthus are short-day
flowering plants. It is important
to keep them vegetative while
rooting and growing on. Twelve
hours or less of daylight will
trigger flowering and stop
vegetative growth.
Plectranthus root easily from
cuttings, using a 0.1% IBA
compound and bottom heat.
Soil temperature should be 70
to 75° F until roots show at the
edge of the liner cell, which
usually occurs at 14 to 21
days. Relatively high humidity
is important, but foliage should
not be under constant mist. A
tented bench works well.
Soilless media should have
a good aggregate. Good
drainage is very important to
plectranthus, as wet growing
media can set up conditions
conducive to Botrytis, Pythium
and Rhizoctonia. Maintaining
a constant feed of 150 to
225 ppm of nitrogen is
recommended. High levels of
nitrogen can cause stretching
and result in open, poorly
shaped plants. A balanced,
slow-release fertilizer can
be mixed into the soilless
media as a supplement. It is
recommended to maintain a pH
of 5.5 to 6.5 with an EC of 0.75
to 1.0.
Ambient air temperature
should be maintained at 75 to
80° F during the day and 60 to
65° F at night.
For best results, give
plectranthus 'Velvet Elvis',
'Velvet Diva' and 'Velvet Lady'
one pinch after transplanting to
promote branching. Branching
occurs soon after pinching or
transplanting. Plectranthus
'Velvet Idol' and 'Velvet Starlet'
branch well without pinching or
using a PGR.
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February 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2021
