Plectranthus coleoides, frankincense plant, king moth

The frankincense plant is one of the evergreen shrubs. It is not hardy and must be overwintered in a warm environment. The Plectranthus coleoides, also called elven herb or incense nettle, is undemanding in its care. It is suitable for planting pots on balconies and patios, but can also be kept as a houseplant. Its light green leaves with a white border are characteristic.

origin

The frankincense plant has its origin in eastern India. In addition, there are several hundred species in Asia and Africa. Because of this, it is a tropical plant that is not hardy. It is an evergreen perennial belonging to the genus Plectranthus (harp bushes) and the Lamiaceae (mint family).

In Germany and Europe, crossbreeds and special breeds of the plant are used. The flowers of frankincense have no special characteristics and are therefore not the reason for the high popularity of the plant.

Attention, risk of confusion!

Due to the identical name, the Moth King is often confused with frankincense, which is of great importance at masses of the Catholic Church, among other things. Frankincense has the botanical name Boswellia and is not related to the frankincense plant. However, the spicy scent is characteristic, which often leads to confusion.

However, a direct comparison shows a difference. The characteristic scent of the king of moths is one reason why the plant is often planted on the balcony or terrace near the seating area. The scent is said to be effective in driving away mosquitoes and moths. This property gave the plant the name of the Moth King.

Characteristic

The leaves of incense can be round, oval, or heart-shaped. They are cut all around and therefore look particularly attractive in combination with annual summer flowers. Depending on the cultivation, the originally narrow white border can decorate half of the leaf. The flowers are called panicles. They are very small and inconspicuous. Depending on the variety, they bloom purple or white. Often the panicles hide under the white-rimmed leaves and are only visible when you step closer to the plant.

Toxicity

Toxic or harmless?

The frankincense plant is not poisonous. However, it smells very strong, which is perceived as unpleasant by very sensitive people. Make sure that children do not pick leaves and put them in their mouths. You can safely plant the Plectranthus coleoides on your balcony or terrace.

Even sensitive people do not mind touching the leaves. The intense smell not only drives away mosquitoes and moths, but also keeps cats and other small animals away. If you keep cats in your house, you should bear in mind that the animals can sometimes develop an intolerance to the Moth King.

use

Frankincense is particularly popular in hanging baskets and window boxes. The reason for this is the long shoots that are densely overgrown with leaves. The shoots grow upright and are up to a meter long. Due to their upright growth, they hang down in the form of an arch.

In combination with popular summer flowers such as geraniums, fuchsias or Petunias the moth king in the balcony box has a visually appealing effect. You can also keep the king moth very well as a houseplant. Due to the long shoots, it is suitable as a traffic light plant that is attached to the ceiling. The incense also looks appealing on a flower bank.

Properties of the frankincense plant:

• ideal for window boxes and hanging baskets
• is often combined with summer flowers
• Can be kept as a houseplant

care

Basically, the Plectranthus coleoides is a very undemanding plant. It does not need any special soil and thrives in heavy clay soils as well as in soils with a high proportion of sand. If you want to plant the Moth King in tubs or window boxes, it is sufficient if you use normal potting soil or the inexpensive planting end. It is important that the young plants get fresh soil in spring. Then they can develop quickly and develop their attractive long shoots within a short period of time.

Protection against frost and cold nights

Since the elven gold as a tropical plant does not survive the German winter, you should only plant it out in spring when the nights are definitely frost-free. If it gets too cold at night, the leaves of the Moth King turn brown. The sensitive plant no longer recovers from the frost and dies.

Location

When choosing the location, the Moth King does not make any special demands. You can plant it in the sun or choose a shady location. If the plant does not get any sun, it will develop more slowly. When combining the frankincense with annual summer flowers, it is recommended if you choose a sunny or partially shaded location.

When planting balcony boxes or patio pots with different varieties, it is important that each of them is taken into account. The undemanding Plectranthus coleoides can be easily combined and copes with almost all conditions.

to water

Pay attention to regular watering, especially on hot days. The frankincense plant, on the other hand, does not like it too wet. The roots could rot, which affects the growth of the plant.

fertilization

In terms of fertilization, the plant is very undemanding. You can use a simple flower fertilizer or plant fertilizer in liquid form. This fertilizer is easy to dose and gives the plant all the nutrients it needs to develop splendidly in a short time. Use the fertilizer sparingly, because a supply of too many nutrients has a negative effect on the development of the plant.

It can get brown leaves and die. It is enough if you fertilize your window boxes every two to three weeks. Alternatively, you can use soil to which a slow release fertilizer has been added. This is recommended if you have a lot of window boxes and regular fertilization with liquid fertilizer would be too time-consuming.

Pay attention to the nutritional requirements of other plants!

Basically, it is a good recommendation if you take care of your window boxes according to the needs of the summer flowers. Many are much more difficult to care for than the Moth King. With the right care for your summer flowers, you will also properly treat the king of moths, as he is clear Is more undemanding than geraniums, hanging petunias or fuchsias, with which he likes to plant together will.

Cut back

If the frankincense plant grows very well, it can grow too long as the summer progresses. In this case, it will not be a problem if you shorten the shoots. Use well-sharpened scissors for this or use classic flower scissors. Secateurs also do a good job. Always shorten the shoots below the leaf growth. Plectranthus coleoides will thank you for it and will produce all the more beautiful and denser shoots that smell particularly pleasant.

The most important care tips in brief:

• Plant out frost-free
• bright sunny to partially shaded location
• water regularly, but not waterlogging
• fertilize sparingly
• Can be pruned if it is strong
• Plant is not hardy, overwintering is possible
• Leaves and shoots are not poisonous

Plectranthus coleoides as a houseplant

You can also keep the harp shrub as a houseplant. Make sure that the room is not too warm, because the Plectranthus coleoides feels most comfortable between 15 and 21 degrees Celsius. The care tips do not differ from the use as a balcony plant. Water regularly, avoid waterlogging and fertilize once or twice a month with liquid flower fertilizer.

Hydroponics

If you decide to use the frankincense plants as indoor plants, you can also use hydroponics. The plants are very suitable for this. Hydroponics makes the plants in the room easy to care for and they can develop splendidly.

Overwinter

The moth king is a tropical plant and is not hardy. The plant is suitable for wintering and blooms anew every year. However, wintering does not always work. If you don't have the opportunity to overwinter, you can replant the frankincense every year.

If you decide to overwinter the plant, you need a place that is light and frost-free. A continuous temperature of at least 15 degrees Celsius is recommended. It is best to overwinter the plant in a light cellar or winter garden. Cool rooms like the bedroom are also suitable. Keep the temperature constant and water the plant regularly.

Wintering as a houseplant?

In principle, it is possible to transplant the incense into a pot in autumn and keep it as a houseplant in winter. However, there is the problem that the plant gets used to the heat. If you plant the king of moths outside again in spring, the plant can be very sensitive to cool nights and die. For this reason, wintering in a warm living room or in the kitchen is not recommended. If you don't have a basement or conservatory, you can also overwinter the plant in the hallway.

Before planting out in spring

Before you plant the plant outside again in spring, make sure that the nights are frost-free. Cut back the incense shoots. Then he can develop anew. Often the elven gold blooms fuller and more beautifully than in the first year after overwintering and pruning. It is therefore worth trying to overwinter.

How often to hibernate?

You should keep the frankincense plant over winter for a maximum of two years. After that, the plant will get too old. The leaves become thin and the frankincense plant is no longer as beautiful as it was in the first and second year. From the fourth year onwards, wintering is no longer worthwhile. However, you can try to breed the moth king.

From the shoots you can get young plants that will bloom very beautifully again for two to three years. The effect of the plants in the balcony box or in the flower pot is just as strong as that of the mother plant. In any case, you will perceive the characteristic scent much more strongly in young plants than in older plants.

The most important tips for wintering in brief:

• bright and frost-free location
• constant temperature of 15 degrees Celsius
• Cellar or winter garden recommended
• Cut back in spring
• Plant out frost-free
• Winter storage for a maximum of two years

Multiply

Propagating the frankincense plants works quite well and is very easy even for the beginner. In summer, simply cut off young shoots from the plant and place them in a well-moistened and nutrient-rich soil. The shoots form roots. Then move the young plants into a pot.

Theoretically, you can try out the roots of the young shoots all year round. You will achieve the best success in spring and summer. Over the winter, the shoots then form strong roots so that you can plant out the frankincense you have grown yourself in the following spring.

Tips for propagation:

• Shorten young shoots above the leaf
• Plant shoots in moist, nutrient-rich soil
• water regularly until roots form

Cultivations

In the trade you get the Plectranthus coleoides in different variants. These are different species from Asia or Africa that have been modified by special breeding. Sometimes, however, the varieties also have different names, which can be confusing. The term Plectranthus coleoides is often used as a generic term for all frankincense plants. The characteristic long shoots are present in all varieties. However, the leaves differ from each other in terms of their shape and color combination. The flowers can also have different shades of color.

Plectranthus fosteri

The term Plectranthus coleoides for the harp bush is actually considered out of date. When you buy the plant in stores, you can come across very different names. The name Plectranthus fosteri is often used instead of Plectranthus Coleoides. The breeders cross different varieties with each other, so that new cultivations keep coming onto the market. They differ from each other in the color of the leaves and flowers. However, the effect of the plant with its long shoots and the characteristic scent is what unites the variety.

Attractive varieties

There are particularly beautiful varieties that are often bought and combined with summer flowers. This includes the "aureus variegatus". The plant has very beautiful leaves in a yellow-green color, which looks particularly appealing on the long shoots. The variety Plectranthus forsteri "Marginatus" is sometimes referred to as Plectranthus forsteri "Variegatus". This variety is characterized by the classic white-green leaves. Plectranthus forsteri "Nico" has leaves with a strong incision that are exceptionally beautiful in shape.

Diseases

Diseases and Pests

As undemanding as moth kings are in their care, their diseases and pests have little effect on them. Because of their spicy scent, frankincense plants don't just keep mosquitoes and moths away. Even pests prefer to avoid the plant with its strongly scented poisonous leaves. If you plant the King Moth in spring, you don't have to worry about pest control.

The frankincense plant is very rarely attacked by pests. Even Snails and worms do not like the plant and prefer to choose other flowers for food. Typical diseases of the moth kings are also not known. With good care, the plant is in perfect bloom all summer and only needs to be adequately protected against frost.

• hardy plant
• no known diseases
• Pests do not like intense fragrances