The Interestingly Named Cerveza and Lime Plant

Last Updated on September 9, 2023 by a Friendly Gardener

The interestingly named Cerveza and Lime plant has long been a familiar feature across gardens and houses, beloved for their ability to make excellent accents in the space.

With lovely green, scalloped cascades that beautifully spill over the container’s edge, the Cerveza and Lime plant can instantly spruce up any space that it’s set in, whether alone or mixed with other bright, flowering varieties and grasses.

If you’d like to add this beautiful plant to your indoor or outdoor garden, here’s everything you need to know about the Cerveza and Lime plant and growing it.

About the Plant

The Cerveza and Lime plant, scientifically known as Plectranthus coleoides, belongs to the Plectranthus genus of perennial herbaceous plants. The Cerveza and Lime plant is one of 85 species of soft-wooded shrubs, annuals, and succulents that make up the genus. All 85 species of the genus are sometimes generically referred to as spur flowers.

Plectranthus plants are found across the world, most commonly in Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and parts of Africa. These plants, including the Cerveza and Lime, are most commonly used as ornamental plants for their attractive foliage.

The Cerveza and Lime plant gets its name from the refreshing citrus scent that it exudes when you touch it—a multi-sensory treat in the garden, indeed!

This plant belongs to the annual category and can grow to a maximum height of 12 inches and occupy a maximum width of 30 inches. The leaves of the plant feature a scallop shape, with fine hairs that give them a fuzzy feel and appearance.

Many folks confuse Cerveza and Lime plants with their cousin, the Cuban oregano, due to the similarities that the scalloped, fuzzy leaves share. However, the former features leaves that are larger and less succulent than the latter.

Cerveza and Lime plants grow best in USDA zones 11 to 12.

Cerveza and Lime Plant Care

Though these plants are easy to care for and maintain, a few additional tips can help the plants flourish where planted. Here’s everything you need to know about Cerveza and Lime plant care.

Planting

When planting your Cerveza and Lime plant, make sure that you break up the soil well and incorporate organic matter into it to enrich it. Some options include compost, peat moss, and manure. You could also add fertilizers, such as all-purpose feed and granulated starter fertilizers.

Break the soil until it is loose; loose soil drains well and provides enough space for healthy organisms, such as earthworms, to do their job and retain nutrients.

Ensure that your Cerveza and Lime plant has enough space to grow and expand. When you crowd plants, there’s a constant tussle for resources such as light, water, and nutrients, resulting in compromised growth and blooming.

Watering

Cerveza and Lime seedlings should be watered every day for the first two weeks. The watering schedule can then be adjusted based on the climate, type of soil, temperature, humidity, and other factors. Even so, watering the plant every couple of days, or twice a week, is recommended.

When watering adult Cerveza and Lime plants, ensure that you water just enough to keep the soil evenly moist, with a focus on the root zone (the area extending six to twelve inches below the exposed base of the plant).

Cerveza and Lime plants are drought tolerant and don’t need much water to survive. Excessively moist soil could easily lead to root rot and fungal infections in these plants.

At the same time, don’t let the soil dry out completely, as this could cause the plant to wilt and die.

Remember, if the soil is more sand than clay, water is going to drain faster and more easily. Very little moisture will be retained by sandy soil, which means that you may have to increase the watering frequency in such cases.

Summer is another instance where you may have to increase the frequency of watering.

To help you judge whether you should be watering your plant, use your finger to check the soil and see if the top two to four inches are dry. If they are, it’s time to water the plant!

It’s also recommended that you water your plant in the morning to prevent shock, induced by extreme temperature differences, in the plant; this will also allow enough time throughout the day for excess moisture to dry out.

Heat, Light, and Humidity Requirements

Hailing from tropical environments, Cerveza and Lime plants enjoy the heat, humidity, and lots of direct light!

These plants cannot survive in conditions below 40-50℉ and need at least 50% humidity around them. They may survive one frost attack, but not without damage.

Luckily, 50% is the average humidity inside most households. If you feel like your plant isn’t getting sufficient humidity indoors, you could invest in a humidifier, among other methods, to increase indoor humidity levels.

If you’re growing your plant indoors, Cerveza and Lime plant indoor care requires you to grow the plant in a sunny spot, such as near a window. Keep the plant away from drafts, cold spots, and air conditioning.

Cerveza and Lime plants also do well in partial shade.

Soil

Cerveza and Lime plants need fertile, well-draining soil, with regular fertilizing for the foliage to flourish. There is a range of fertilizers at your disposal, from granulated to liquid feed to slow release to synthetic to organic!

Nitrogen-rich fertilizers, especially, will help the foliage grow better. Over-fertilizing can kill your plant, so ensure that you follow the instructions on the package when feeding your plants.

Pruning and Propagation

Since these are ornamental plants, they (and your space) can benefit from occasional pruning to shape the foliage. This will also encourage new growth and more blooms.

Additionally, get rid of any old flowers in the plant as the plant may expend energy in trying to turn the seed into fruit, instead of forming more flowers.

When it comes to Cerveza and Lime plant propagation, stem cuttings work best.

In Conclusion

With sufficient water, light, ventilation, and care, your Cerveza and Lime plant can bloom beautifully, presenting you with lovely foliage.

If you’re considering investing in a Cerveza and Lime plant, go right ahead and bring home these gorgeous, easy-to-care-for plants!