Zulu Spurflower

Zulu Spurflower Overview

The delicate blue flowers and velvety leaves of Plectranthus zuluensis make this easily grown shrub a winner for those difficult shady areas in summer rainfall gardens. The Zulu Spurflower is an erect or sprawling, multi-branched shrub up to 2 m high, with hairy stems, velvety to the touch when young. The plant has a characteristic pungent smell when crushed. The main flowering time is from summer to winter with a peak in autumn. In nature, Plectranthus zuluensis commonly grows along stream banks and deep river gorges in humus-rich soil and in shady or semi-shady areas on the margins of semi-coastal, subtropical forests. It is best suited to gardens in warmer, frost-free areas. Once established, plants need little watering and can be fed with 2:3:2 fertilizer every three months in summer to keep plants healthy. Prune plants every year after flowering to remove dead and diseased wood. Plants trained as hedges or shaped bushes should be kept trimmed to maintain a compact shape. Container plants need replacing annually. Water pots twice a week and feed fortnightly with a liquid fertilizer. Attractive cultivars of this species are 'Oribi Gorge' with light purple-blue flowers, 'Sky', a low-growing shrub with dark purple-blue flowers, and 'Umgeni', a taller shrub with dark purple-blue flowers.