Species

Plectranthus - Spring 2004

Flower Color, Plot Development Over Time, Data and Comments

Data and pictures will be added as time allows.

Vinca

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Vinca

Botany

Family:	Lamiaceae
Scientific names:	Plectranthus argentatus [epithet not listed in The Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN)].
Common names:	Silver dollar plant (Colorodo State University.); silver plectranthus (North Carolina State University and University of Georgia) and Silver Shrub (Ohio State University); spurflower (ORHT 321; SUNY Cobleskill); plectranthus, silver spurflower, spurflower or Swedish ivy (various sources).
Native habitat:	A native of Australia (Michigan State University and the Royal Horticulture Society). The species is not listed in GRIN.
	View maps related to habitat and other topics from this link to the National Geographic MapMachine: .
Pests
Common plant arthropods (insects/other)/other:	Reported arthropod symptoms in literature: Giant whitefly, Aleurodicus dugesii (UC IPM Online). No pests have been identified in our trials to date. Some minor feeding damage has been seen.
	Arthropod symptoms observed in this trial: Minor insect feeding (unobserved pest) was see on foliage only in early May.
Common plant diseases/other:	Reported disease symptoms in literature: Alternaria sp., leafspot; Alternaria alternata, leaf spot; Erwinia carotovora, bacterial soft rot; Fusarium oxysporum, root rot; Phomopsis sp., dieback; Pseudomonas cichorii, bacterial leaf spot; Pythium sp., root rot; P. splendens, root rot; and Rhizoctonia solani, stem rot (Index of Plant Diseases in Florida, 1984 revision.).
	Diseases symptoms observed in this trial: none.
Commercial control:	Greenhouse.	Field/shade house.
Arthropod information:	Pests identified on crops. Search the Arthropod/Host Plant Database.			Florida pest facts and images. Featured Creatures
Disease information:	Plant Disease Facts (Pennsylvania State University) Ornamental Plant Disease Fact Sheets			The American Phytopathological Society Search Common Names of Plant Diseases
More Links and Information
Performance evaluations:	Trial reports and other publications.
More resources:	Additional information.		Warm Climate Production Guidelines for Plectranthus - University of Florida.

Honors:

Best-of-class (BC). We select the best performer in each class, based on the "overall performance rating". This rating may not be high, if the class does not perform well (indicating a possible need for improvement in the class). The rating may be significantly different from one or more members of the class. If two or more members of a class received the same highest overall performance rating, we used another rating (such as overall foliage/flower rating or flower average rating) to determine BC. If only one cultivar was entered in a class, it automatically becomes uncontested BC. BC is evaluated in future trials against the performance of new entries in the same class. Refer to a report in "Articles, Papers & Reports" for detailed information. In addition to BC, other "honors" received for these cultivars may be added to BC at a later date, time permitting. Seed companies may forward these honors (awards) to Rick Kelly.

Rating System:

The rating is a 1 to 7 scale: 7- all foliage and flowers free from defects; 4- average foliage and flower condition, minimal plant defects or pest damage to tissue, but still acceptable; 1- foliage and/or flowers with severe defects and/or severely infested with pests and damage unacceptable, making plant undesirable. Plant death due to soilborne pests may be factored into the overall performance rating, if it is a significant problem. Refer to a report in "Articles, Papers & Reports" for details. If listed, ratings with an "a" are the best in a class. If cultivars share the same letters, those ratings are considered to be similar to each other. If there are no letters, there is only one cultivar in a class or all the members of a class have similar ratings.

American Takii

Ball Seed

Bodger Seeds

Floranova Plant Breeders

Flower Fields - Goldsmith Seeds

The Flower Fields

Grimes Seeds & Plants

Kieft Seeds Holland

E. Benary Seed of America

Plectranthus argentatus class

Picture date:	1 May (week 11¹)	14 May (week 13)	31 May (week 16)
'Silver Shield'	Plot A Plot C Sprayed Field Unsprayed Field	Plot A Plot C Sprayed Field Unsprayed Field	Plot A Plot C Sprayed Field Unsprayed Field
Cultivar No: 34

PanAmerican Seed
Picture date:	2 May	26 Nov. - Flowers

Seed Sowing Date	Flower Diameter²	Days to First Flower³	Average Foliage Rating⁴	Overall Pest Rating⁵	Overall Performance Rating⁶
11 Feb.	No data.	No data.	5.7	6.7	6.2

Honors: Best-of-class, uncontested.

Comments: New for spring 2004. ‘Silver Shield’ (new for spring 2004) had excessive plant deaths in the sprayed land that required all evaluations to be conducted in the unsprayed land, which produced good plots. This plant was evaluated a foliage groundcover; no flowers were produced all season, due to long days; in a study conducted by Dr. Rick Schoellhorn, this species would grew taller and did not bloom under 16 hour days. ‘Silver Shield’ quickly filled the plots by mid May. Foliage ratings were good to outstanding. The size, color and texture of the plant’s foliage are good additions to the landscaper’s “tools” for creating a different impact in a landscape design.

Details of performance for this cultivar will be posted on the web in "Articles, Papers & Reports" at the completion of this trial. These details will include ratings over the entire season and pest problems.

ROK

1. The number of weeks from seed sowing to the date the plant was photographed. Photographs were taken in a field sprayed on demand as needed, after scouting for pests, and a field that is not sprayed at all.

2. Measured in centimeters and inches [cm (inches)].

3. Average number of days from sowing to unfurling of the first flower in the plots. Flowering for alyssum was completed in the flat prior to planting in the field. Values with an "a" are considered significantly greater than those with a "b", "c", etc., and those without a letter are not considered to be significantly different.

4. The average of the combined foliage data in the sprayed field as an expression of cultivar quality. Values with an "a" are considered significantly greater than those with a "b", "c", etc., and those without a letter are not considered to be significantly different. No flowers were produced.

5. The average of the combined foliage and flower data in the unsprayed field as an expression of arthropod and disease symptoms. Values with an "a" are considered significantly greater than those with a "b", "c", etc., and those without a letter are not considered to be significantly different.

6. The average of the combined overall foliage/flower rating and overall pest rating. If plant death from a soilborne pathogen resulted, this was factored into the rating. Values with an "a" are considered significantly greater than those with a "b", "c", etc., and those without a letter are not considered to be significantly different. See Articles, Papers & Reports for further explanation in the reports.

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