Plectranthus ornatus ("Porutojin'yu")

Japanese name: ポルトジンユ
Scientific name: Plectranthus ornatus

[Overview]
A perennial about 30 cm tall that grows wild at relatively high elevations in its native range and is found in partial shade among rocks.
The stems are succulent, branching from the base and creeping along the ground.
The leaves are simple and opposite, obovate to broadly obovate, 2–3 cm long and 1.5–2.5 cm wide; they are succulent and remain thick even when dry, are covered with soft hairs overall, and have orange glandular dots on the underside.
The leaf tip is rounded and the leaf base is wedge-shaped, with rounded teeth on the upper half.
The petiole is 0.2–1 cm long.
The leaves have an unpleasant odor.
A spike-like inflorescence 4–6 cm long, made up of clustered verticillasters, is produced at the stem tip; numerous purplish bracts are arranged in decussate pairs to form a square column, and the bract tips are short-pointed and tinged greenish white.
The bracts fall early.
Each bract bears 3 flowers (6 flowers per node).
The flowers are bluish wisteria-colored, lipped, 2–2.5 cm long, with purple spots on the upper lip.
The upper lip is 0.6 cm long, and the lower lip is boat-shaped, 1.2–1.5 cm long, sometimes with a 2-lobed tip.
The stamens are 1.2–1.4 cm long and are fused for about 1/3 of their length at the base.
The fruit is a schizocarp.

[Uses]
It is used medicinally.

[Cultivation]
Propagate by division or stem cuttings.
Stem cuttings are possible at 15°C or higher.
If brought indoors into a sunny spot in winter, it can overwinter and be grown as a perennial.
It prefers sunny, well-drained, moisture-retentive, well-aerated, fertile soil.
It prefers a well-ventilated place that does not dry out.
Direct summer sun makes the leaf color fade, so move it to partial shade in midsummer.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries from spring to autumn, and keep on the dry side in winter; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
However, if it dries out in midsummer, water in the morning or evening when temperatures are low.
Apply slow-release fertilizer as a base fertilizer, and also place slow-release fertilizer on the soil from spring to autumn.
Pests and diseases include armyworms, scale insects and spider mites.

[Notes]
It resembles Plectranthus neochilus, but is said to be distinguished by its more compact, shorter inflorescence, longer corolla (especially the upper lip), and the lower lip tip often being 2-lobed.

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