Velvet Idol Spur Flower

Velvet Idol Spur Flower (Plectranthus 'Velvet Idol') solves the shaded bed problem: the ground under a tree or along a south facing fence where lawn gives up and most groundcovers rot. It runs to about 40cm tall and 60cm wide with soft, velvety foliage, and throws spikes of purple flowers that bees work through the warm months. Planted 40cm apart it covers ground fast.

Why you'll love it

• It covers ground quickly. Fast growing and wider than tall, so ten plants at 40cm spacing fill about one and a half square metres in a season.
• Shade is where it shines. Part shade and full shade both suit it, which is exactly where flowering colour is hardest to come by.
• Velvet foliage, not just flowers. The leaves carry a soft matt texture that holds the planting together between flushes.
• Drought tolerant once settled. Fleshy stems store their own water, so it copes with dry shade under established trees, and the purple spikes still pull bees and butterflies in.

Where it works best

Groundcover and mass planting. Plant 40cm apart, about six plants per square metre. At that density the foliage knits into continuous cover in one warm season, and the shade it casts keeps weeds down.

Borders and edging. A single row along the front of a shaded bed gives a soft 40cm high edge with flower spikes above it.

Pots, balconies and courtyards. Three plants in a 400mm pot spill over the rim within months, and in cooler gardens the pot can move under cover for winter.

Growing Velvet Idol Spur Flower in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade to full shade. Morning sun is fine, but hot afternoon sun bleaches the foliage. Tropical, subtropical and warm temperate gardens suit it in the ground. It is frost tender, so cooler southern gardens should grow it in a pot, or treat it as a fast seasonal filler.

Soil. Free draining and reasonably open. It tolerates poorer ground than most flowering perennials, but it will rot in a wet spot over winter. Work compost through the bed, then lay 50mm of mulch.

Water and feed. Water twice a week for the first six weeks, then only through genuinely dry spells. Those fleshy stems forgive a missed watering far more readily than a soaking. A light monthly liquid feed keeps the spikes coming.

Pruning. Shear the whole planting back by about a third once the main flush finishes. It reshoots from the base within weeks, and that hard cut is what keeps it dense instead of hollow in the middle.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown in 140mm pots sold in packs of ten, which is the practical unit for the job it does. Ten plants at 40cm spacing cover about one and a half square metres, or fill three or four decent pots. These are not seedlings: each plant arrives bushy and rooted through its pot, so it usually flowers in its first season.

Soft foliage bruises more easily than a woody shrub, so expect a few marked leaves after transit. New growth covers them within a fortnight. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95, and every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• The best groundcover plants for shade
• Browse low maintenance groundcovers
• Other plants for partial shade
• Low growing plant ideas for borders

Common questions

How many plants do I need per square metre?

About six at the recommended 40cm spacing, so one pack of ten covers roughly one and a half square metres. Stretch to 50cm spacing if you want more ground for the same money.

Will it grow in full shade?

Yes. Full shade and part shade both work, and it is one of the few flowering plants that performs under a tree canopy. Permanently dark corners will still give fewer spikes than dappled light.

Does it survive frost?

No. It is frost tender and a hard frost cuts it to the ground. In cool southern gardens keep it potted so it can shelter over winter, or replant each spring as a seasonal groundcover.