Plectranthus caninus
Encyclopedia
Plectranthus caninus is an herb in the mint family Lamiaceae
, native to east Africa and southern Asia. Under the name
"Coleus canina", it is sold and marketed as a natural repellent to cats and dogs (labeled as "Scaredy Cat Plant" and "Piss-off plant"), though no research currently exists that supports that usage. These plants root easily from cuttings or from just touching the ground. They like full sun. If grown in the shade, their stems will elongate faster than new leaves growing, in search of more light; this is known as etiolation
.
Lamiaceae
The mints, taxonomically known as Lamiaceae or Labiatae, are a family of flowering plants. They have traditionally been considered closely related to Verbenaceae, but in the 1990s, phylogenetic studies suggested that many genera classified in Verbenaceae belong instead in Lamiaceae...
, native to east Africa and southern Asia. Under the name
"Coleus canina", it is sold and marketed as a natural repellent to cats and dogs (labeled as "Scaredy Cat Plant" and "Piss-off plant"), though no research currently exists that supports that usage. These plants root easily from cuttings or from just touching the ground. They like full sun. If grown in the shade, their stems will elongate faster than new leaves growing, in search of more light; this is known as etiolation
Etiolation
Etiolation is a process in flowering plants grown in partial or complete absence of light. It is characterized by long, weak stems; smaller, sparser leaves due to longer internodes; and a pale yellow color . It increases the likelihood that a plant will reach a light source, often from under the...
.