Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Flowering Plants, Shrub
Shrub
Origin
North Africa
Eastern Asia, Malaysia
Types
Myrtus nivellei
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Number of Varieties
0150
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Rocky Mountains
gardens, Subtropical climates, tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999911-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
-
Sunset Zone
Not Availble
-
Habit
Bushy, Evergreen
Bushy, Evergreen
Plant Size
Minimum Height
200.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
200.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Black, Blue
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
Red, Green, Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Damp
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Drainage
Moist but well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Summer
Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Moisture
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Container, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Semi-hardwood cuttings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs less watering
Requires a lot of watering
In Summer
Ample Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Less Watering
Ample Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Damp
Soil Drainage Capacity
Moist, Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune after flowering, Prune for shortening long shoots, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
cut main flower spike, Cut or pinch the stems
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Full-strength liquid fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Healthy tree
Downy mildew, Red blotch, Stem rot
Plant Tolerance
Moisture
Wet Site
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
-
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes, Used for making hedges
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Good for skin
Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for birds
Air purification, Provides ground cover, Soil protection, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, anti-cancer, Antidiabetic, Heart problems, Kidney problems, Respiratory Disorders, Thyroid problems
Asthma, Glaucoma, High blood pressure, Liver Protection, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Leaves
Other Uses
Used as essential oil, Used in herbal medicines
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Container, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
Myrtus nivellei
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Common Name
Saharan myrtle
Coleus, Painted nettle
In Hindi
Saharan myrtle
Coleus
In German
Saharan myrtle
Buntnessel
In French
myrte subsaharienne
Vieux garçon
In Spanish
mirto subsahariana
coleo
In Greek
Σαχάρας μυρτιά
Coleus
In Portuguese
murta Saharan
cóleus
In Polish
mirt Subsaharyjskiej
Coleus
In Latin
myrto Saharan
Coleus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Myrtales
Lamiales
Family
Myrtaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Myrtus
Coleus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
2150
1
27800
👆🏻