kadakuda Posted October 2, 2012 I have had these L. nepetifolia growing for about 2 years on my roof. To begin with i am aware there is a massive spider mite infestation there, but as its the roof and i dont grow anything terribly important there anymore, i couldnt really care less Just to get that out of the way This weirdness has been spotted over about 1 year, not too common but they come up now and again in the middle of normal ones, and i dont think it has anything to do with nutrition or pests, despite what my pictures below show of a lone infested plant growing in a pot in the corner without water/food etc. i will search for a healthier plant for pictures in the daytime, i have this bad habit of taking scissors to them all for composting. So these L. nepetifolia are from the Philippines and they have been growing and reseeding themselves for 2 years. Grow well and basically i only use them to cut and add as a mulch to the soil, they serve that purpose well. About 3-4 months after my Salvia divinorum flowered i got a bunch of different L. nepetifolia plants growing. Now i dont think they are a Salvia hybrid at all! But the flowering time of the salvia is a good point of memory for me, so i only mention it as a way for me to remember and also as a just in case. The difference in these plants with the "normal" plants that grow there are the texture, color, fuzziness and thickness of the leaves. the normal ones are soft, but these "hybrids" are fuzzy, just short of velvety. The leaves are also a darker/duller green unlike the brighter more vibrant green of the "normal ones". Leaf thickness, without actually measuring, seems to be about twice as thick for the "hybrids". The scent is also slightly different but cannot explain it. I can say they dont smell like any of the other mints i grow. Here is a list of other species in the mint family that have flowered at the same times of them within a 10m radius (many often touching as the L. nepetifolia just grows everywhere up there). Coleus blumei (about 5 different color varieties) Melissa officinalis Mentha x piperita Plectranthus amboinicus 3 varieties including one "wild type" which isnt scented. Salvia divinorum Salvia officinalis If it were to be a hybrid, and im not sure it is, my money would be on the unscented wild Plectranthus amboinicus or the Coleus (im not convinced they are synonymous with that massive Plectranthus lumping!). I fit helps i will get pics of the other mints around to see. Photos of the 2 types. "Normal" L. nepetifolia as has always grown from original seed. the different one Anyone have any thoughts. These are for sure from the L. nepetifolia as i pinch all other flowers, only these are left to flower as i enjoy the look. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Illustro Posted October 2, 2012 Are those little yellow spots on the leaves? Looks like it could be due to a virus infection. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kadakuda Posted October 2, 2012 thats spider mite damage, note the webs too Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
