How Do You Care For Plectranthus Amboinicus?

 What is the use of Plectranthus Amboinicus?

Indian borage is an herbaceous perennial in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. When crushed, it emits a strong oregano aroma, hence the other common name Cuban oregano.

Apart from its horticultural uses, the fresh leaves of Coleus amboinicus are widely used both as a medicinal plant and as an herb or spice providing flavor to food (meat and poultry dishes), particularly in tropical and subtropical parts of the world.

It is grown in kitchen gardens and containers and is used in the same way as thyme, hence some of the common names. It is frequently used to flavor salads with fresh leaves.

Plectranthus amboinicus is used to treat digestive, genitourinary, and respiratory ailments, as well as skin infections and discomfort. It is used to treat malaria, cough, chronic asthma, bronchitis, colic, epilepsy, and hiccups in India.

Is Plectranthus Amboinicus edible?

The leaves are edible. They are boiled or simmered with ginger and garlic, or fried in oil.

The plant is cultivated as a decorative plant in gardens and public spaces, to provide spice plants for air conditioning.

Plectranthus amboinicus is a succulent perennial with scented foliage. It is commonly grown as a houseplant, although it can also flourish outside in warm climates or throughout the summer. The leaves produce spicy oils that can be used in cooking.

The flavor of Cuban oregano is considered to be significantly stronger than that of Greek oregano, which is commonly used to flavor pizzas and other Mediterranean meals.

Harvesting and utilizing Cuban oregano in recipes can produce a similar flavor to typical oreganos, but it should be used in smaller amounts to avoid over-seasoning the meal.

How do you grow Plectranthus Amboinicus?

For this small plant, choose a location with well-draining, gritty soil and moderate sun. It is frost tender yet thrives in tropical to semi-tropical climates all year. Grow the plant in a container in temperate climates and bring it indoors in the fall.

Cuban oregano grows best in the spring and summer, preferring hot, dry conditions. That doesn’t imply it doesn’t require water. The plant needs regular irrigation but cannot thrive with constantly damp roots, thus drainage is critical.

Growing plants in pots makes it easier to accommodate the growing requirements of Cuban oregano by moving it when the seasonal sun gets hotter in different regions of the yard. Some shade is essential during the day to keep the leaves from scorching and damaging their look.

Is Plectranthus Amboinicus poisonous?

Frequently, the fresh leaves of Coleus amboinicus are used as a poultice for external application to treat pain and swelling.

In small amounts (less than one gram per day), Cuban oregano is considered safe for use in food products. It is considered to be safe for most people, but not recommended for infants and children after 6 months of age due to possible toxicity.

This plant is not listed as poisonous by major toxicology databases or the American Association of Poison Control Centers. However, it should be used carefully with kids and pets.

What is Plectranthus Amboinicus good for?

Cuban oregano leaves can be used in the same way as regular oreganos. Harvesting Cuban oregano leaves for traditional medical reasons dates back hundreds of years. It was effective in the treatment of respiratory and throat infections, as well as rheumatism, constipation, flatulence, and as a breastfeeding aid.

In modern applications, it is used as a dried or fresh alternative for Mediterranean oreganos. The leaves can be dried and crushed before being added to meat dishes.

Fresh leaves are used in soups and stews, as well as stuffing for fowl and other meats, in modest amounts. Be wary, as the plant has a powerful flavor that might dominate other flavors.

This small plant has lovely foliage, blossoms that attract pollinators, and its use in the kitchen adds another tool to your culinary arsenal.

Can you eat Plectranthus Amboinicus?

You can use both fresh and dried leaves in cooking. In fact, fresh leaves are more potent in flavor than dried ones, so the amount you use should be adjusted when using the fresh leaves.

Fresh leaves are used to flavor salads, fish and meat dishes. Fresh or dried leaves can be added to rice and pasta dishes. Dried leaves are also commonly used for medicinal purposes.

How do you care for Plectranthus Amboinicus?

Coleus amboinicus is a very easy to grow and cultivate plant that is now popular all over the world where the climate permits. It thrives in Mediterranean, bushveld, and subtropical gardens. It is frost delicate but can withstand light frost.

It grows best as an informal scrambling ground cover in full light. It can withstand half-shade. Plant cuttings in situ approximately 50 cm apart, preferably in spring or summer, and they will root and grow quickly if well-watered.

Once established, the plant should be self-sufficient, making it an excellent water-wise garden plant. It should also bloom during the first season after planting. To guarantee orderly growth, prune back two-thirds throughout the winter months.

Fertilizer has a positive effect on the plant. There are various strains available, as well as a variegated variety.

Cuttings of approximately 10 cm in length should be used. Remove lower leaves and put in a tray or suitable container with sand, peat, or a sterile growing media. Keep wet and plant in a sunny to lightly shady spot. During the warmer months of the year, rooting is quick. Once the plants have rooted, they can be moved to pots or directly into the garden.

How do you dry Plectranthus Amboinicus?

The leaves of Plectranthus amboinicus were dried in an oven dryer at temperatures ranging from 50°C to 60°C, 70°C to 80°C. Drying occurred at a constant rate and at a dropping rate. The process was monitored by the infra-red spectrometer to determine the final moisture content.

The finished product was known as tropical dried herbs, which is an excellent source of herbs for cooking. This plant is used to provide a sharp flavor in dishes.

How do you identify Plectranthus amboinicus?

Coleus amboinicus is a 300–700 mm tall, branching, evergreen, ascending, spreading shrublet. The roots have a fibrous texture. All sections have a strong and pleasant scent.

The stems are rising and spreading (decumbent) and up to 1.5 m long, succulent, virtually rounded to moderately 4-angled, green when young and approximately 4 mm in diameter, becoming brownish and about 7 mm in diameter as they develop.

The surface of the stem is coated in dense, whitish, transparent, multicellular hairs, both long and short. Brittle leaves that are widely egg-shaped to triangularly egg-shaped (ovate) with a short petiole 8–20 mm long.

The leaves are shorter and folded in (conduplicate) when grown in exposed, sunny, dry conditions; but, when grown in shady, damp settings, the leaves are flattened and only slightly concave. The edge has around 12 pairs of shallow pointed teeth.

The leaf’s base is truncate, while the tip (apex) is sharp to almost rounded. The surface is covered in tiny, transparent to brownish gland spots and is highly hairy, especially on the lower surface’s visible network of veins.

Where is Plectranthus Amboinicus found?

Coleus amboinicus has a vast range but is restricted to the arid river basins of northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa, Eswatini in Mozambique, and farther north to Kenya. It’s also common on Indian Ocean islands like Inhaca Island, Seychelles, and Mauritius.

The plant was discovered in the Southern Lebombo Bushveld of KwaZulu-Natal, which is a member of the Savanna Biome. These river basins have a rather dry climate that is exacerbated by the steep slopes, resulting in heavy run off during periods of rain.

This area is rocky and abundant in succulent plant types. Coleus amboinicus is a plant that grows on rocky embankments and cliffs.

It can be found in both full sun and partial shade. The climate is subtropical, with hot summers and cool winters, but no frost. Rainfall occurs primarily during the summer months and is frequently accompanied by thundershowers.

How do you propagate Plectranthus Amboinicus?

This hardy plant can be cultivated in practically any type of soil as a ground cover and border plant in USDA hardiness zones 9 through 11. It also works nicely as a potted plant. Its leaves have a distinct fragrance and flavor and are used as a cooking herb. Because it is a succulent, stems and leaves can be easily propagated. The procedures are as follows:

Working a small amount of water into the potting soil or garden soil until it is damp but not soggy. Fill a pot with drainage holes halfway with potting soil. Choose a location in the garden that is shielded from frost and wet winters, has full sun to moderate shade, and has adequate drainage.

Pinch a healthy stem or leaf from a mature Cuban oregano plant. Almost any part of this plant that you pinch off will root. Pinch off a stem with two or more leaf clusters and remove the lowest leaves.

Insert the pinched end of the Cuban oregano stem into the ready soil. If you are propagating it in a pot, place the pot in a warm, sunny location.

Water the stem frequently enough to keep the soil moist, but not excessively. The roots will be formed in a few weeks. You will not need to water it on a regular basis at this point because it is drought-tolerant.

Is Plectranthus amboinicus evergreen?

Coleus amboinicus is a 300–700 mm tall, branching, evergreen, ascending, spreading shrublet. The roots have a fibrous texture. All sections have a strong and pleasant scent.

The stems are rising and spreading (decumbent) and up to 1.5 m long, succulent, virtually rounded to moderately 4-angled, green when young and approximately 4 mm in diameter, becoming brownish and about 7 mm in diameter as they develop.

The surface of the stem is coated in dense, whitish, transparent, multicellular hairs, both long and short.

What are the benefits of Plectranthus Amboinicus?

Indian borage is an herbaceous perennial in the Lamiaceae (mint) family. When crushed, it emits a strong oregano aroma, hence the other common name Cuban oregano.

It is commonly used in folk medicine to treat colds, asthma, constipation, headaches, coughs, fevers, and skin problems. The plant’s leaves are frequently consumed raw, utilized as flavoring agents, or used as ingredients in traditional culinary preparation.

The stem’s herbivorous beetles, especially those that have a preference for the leaves, are used as food sources by some areas of Africa.