Coleus madagascariensis aka Variegated Mintleaf

Coleus madagascariensis is in the mint family, Lamiaceae. The RHS gives it another name: Plectranthus madagascariensis. Kew places its native range from Mozambique to South Africa. That range also takes in the Mascarene Islands. Useful Tropical Plants also lists Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion and Eswatini. It grows in a tropical climate with a dry season. In the wild, it grows among rocks and on cliffs. These sites lie at higher elevations. It is not native to Britain or Ireland.

This low perennial lives for more than two years. It has succulent, or fleshy, growth and can cover the ground. Useful Tropical Plants calls it herbaceous, with soft growth. Kew calls it a subshrub, a small, partly woody plant. It grows about 1.5 feet [0.45 metres] tall. Its stems measure about 1 to 3.3 feet [0.3–1 metre] long. They trail on the ground or rise at the tips. Nodes, the joints on stems, can root against the soil. This helps explain its use as ground cover. Stem length gives no firm measure of its full spread.

Gardeners grow this species for its looks and for medicine. People also gather it from the wild. The sources note named garden forms. They give no leaf colours for the species as a whole. The accounts do not describe the flowers or fruit. Useful Tropical Plants says insects pollinate the flowers. The evidence gives no bloom season or cold-hardiness rating. Wild plants grow on rocks, but this alone tells us little. It does not show how much water garden plants need.

Useful Tropical Plants tells how to raise it from seed. Sow in soil that lets water drain well. Cover the seed with a light layer of sand. Keep the pot warm and in the shade. The account says seeds sprout in about three weeks. These steps apply to seeds, not always to full-grown plants. The evidence gives no firm light needs for full-grown plants. Nor does it give pest or disease details for this species.

People have long used root mixes for asthma and coughs. They also use them for colds and chest complaints. They put crushed leaves on scabies and small wounds. The account also notes use as an enema for coughs. These reports of past practice do not prove the treatments work. Useful Tropical Plants lists no known food uses or hazards. That does not mean it is safe to eat. Nor does it prove safety for people or pets.