Speaking of Plectranthus, as I was when writing about Rabdosia longituba, here is a member of the former genus; namely Plectranthus kameba. The great majority of the plants in the genus plectranthus are quite tender (as befits a group commonly called tropical mints). However, a few are borderline hardy, including Plectranthus kameba, which hails from the mountains of Japan. It is a large plant, up to three foot tall, with equally large, mint-like leaves. Its flowers are a bit on the smallish size for the foliage, but the color is an ethereal deep, purplish blue; quite striking in the late fall shade garden. I have this plant growing at the back of an azalea bed now, but I mean to move it right next to a path, where the flowers can be closely examined, and I'm thinking of planting Arum italicum around the base, with its large variegated leaves of green and white just unfurling now.
