Uploaded August 2008 | Updated September 2026, 1 hour ago
Plectranthus caninus. Incredible easy to root a cutting of any size in moisture control potting soil in the shade (kept moist). Even a half inch long new branch rooted. Another way, is to put part of the stem in the dark, it will grow roots, then you can cut it off and plant it.
Smells great like a skunky mint. Now if I can learn how to ship this plant, I can help share it.
This is the plant known as "p**s-off plant" marketed as something that if growing in large amounts, will deter dogs cats and other animals, although this may not be true, regardless it smells great and is almost effortless to grow.
Much easier to root cuttings than a Coleus because the leaves are stronger and don't wilt easily.
As of Jan-1-2012, I have a TON of these plants now. They don't seem to die from neglect, as long as you occasionally give them water and maybe a few times a year, some fertilizer. When the plant stem is shaded enough or buried or just touching soil, it will root. It seems to have a near 100% success rate with rooting cuttings in moist soil, but in dry sand, they wilt and die quickly, water/moisture is critical.
If you want a plant that stays green year round, can survive rough weather and is mostly a short plant that grows well in containers, I recommend this one. This plant is great for sharing. I started out with 1 cutting and now I have maxed out my area for potted plants with them, while most of my other plants have died.
Troubleshooting:
If your plants are very very tall and very very skinny, they are not getting enough light, and will die. If your leaves are drooping, their most likely dehydrated and should be watered IMMEDIATELY and should recover just fine.
I have posted information and pictures here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plectranthus_caninus
Update: I no longer have this plant. I gave them away. I watched this video today Feb-09-2015 and miss having it.
The music in this video is from the old SNES game Donkey Kong Country and youtube said that you are allowed to use non-vocal video game music and will not get a copyright infringement.
Plectranthus caninus. Incredible easy to root a cutting of any size in moisture control potting soil in the shade (kept moist). Even a half inch long new branch rooted. Another way, is to put part of the stem in the dark, it will grow roots, then you can cut it off and plant it.
Smells great like a skunky mint. Now if I can learn how to ship this plant, I can help share it.
This is the plant known as "p**s-off plant" marketed as something that if growing in large amounts, will deter dogs cats and other animals, although this may not be true, regardless it smells great and is almost effortless to grow.
Much easier to root cuttings than a Coleus because the leaves are stronger and don't wilt easily.
As of Jan-1-2012, I have a TON of these plants now. They don't seem to die from neglect, as long as you occasionally give them water and maybe a few times a year, some fertilizer. When the plant stem is shaded enough or buried or just touching soil, it will root. It seems to have a near 100% success rate with rooting cuttings in moist soil, but in dry sand, they wilt and die quickly, water/moisture is critical.
If you want a plant that stays green year round, can survive rough weather and is mostly a short plant that grows well in containers, I recommend this one. This plant is great for sharing. I started out with 1 cutting and now I have maxed out my area for potted plants with them, while most of my other plants have died.
Troubleshooting:
If your plants are very very tall and very very skinny, they are not getting enough light, and will die. If your leaves are drooping, their most likely dehydrated and should be watered IMMEDIATELY and should recover just fine.
I have posted information and pictures here:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plectranthus_caninus
Update: I no longer have this plant. I gave them away. I watched this video today Feb-09-2015 and miss having it.
The music in this video is from the old SNES game Donkey Kong Country and youtube said that you are allowed to use non-vocal video game music and will not get a copyright infringement.
![Lucky bamboo in perlite (I recommend it). [alive for 7 years? uncertain]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/R6PKFzpNUcQ/mqdefault.jpg "Lucky bamboo in perlite (I recommend it). [alive for 7 years? uncertain]
Lucky bamboo in perlite (I recommend it). update https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHeEMq0wfEI
I just wanted to share the fact that this is the only 1 out of 25 lucky bamboo plants that I bought many years ago, that is still alive. It is the ONLY one that I put in perlite, as a test. The rest were in just water or water with flat glass decorative marbles.
* The hole is a little less than 1.5 inches from the bottom of the clear plastic cup.
* The container is about 5 inches tall and has about 4.5 of perlite.
* The bottom container it sits in to catch excess water, is about 3 tall.
I use gallon jugs of Distilled Water and/or Spring Water (not stuff like Dasani with flavor enhancing minerals and salts).
I Rarely give it the Green Green liquid fertilizer and when i do, it is very diluted. Too little is better than too much. The same goes for light.
I am sure I also put some hydrogen peroxide in there occasionally.
*HYDROGEN PEROXIDE WARNING!* I have told people that H202 is a miracle cure for plants, but this stuff is deadly to plants if you do not HEAVILY dilute it. When in doubt, avoid H202, because it turn leaves yellow and stunt root growth and can kill it, if it is too concentrated.
Roots only darkness, air, water and nutrients.
In my setup, the bottom portion of the cup holds standing water. (Note: Standing water is not optimum for plant growth.)
Within the standing water, is perlite. Above the standing water, is more perlite.
Water on the perlite, evaporates up, into more perlite. It continues evaporating until it reaches the top of the perlite, where it hits (or misses) my ziplock bag, which helps slow evaporation, in hopes it will not get 100% dry. I did NOT want to trap air and moisture from escaping, so it is not sealed air tight around the stem. Fresh air for roots and stems and leaves is VERY GOOD.
Also, the hole that excess water drains out, because it is above any over filled water, air can enter and leave through the hole, allowing for more fresh air to the roots.
Also, since perlite helps trap water and evaporate it, there is a chance that if the area is humid enough, it could pull in some water from the air, for your plant, especially if the overflow has water but I wouldnt rely on this.
I know the water is yucky in the bottom container. I never overflow it enough that it could ever have water flow back through the hole and back into the perlite. I cleaned it after making this video.
This video was not planned in advance, and this comment has been edited many times, in an attempt to include lots of information that I suspect people may find useful.
For those curious, I bought the lucky bamboo plants off ebay
It looks like maybe in 2008, so it might be 7 years old...
I cant find a purchase history. All I have is an email I sent in 2008 mentioning it, no pictures, but i am pretty sure that is it.
Since I cant find the link, this looks like a decent deal
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-532...
$14.00 Free Shipping for 20, which works out to be $0.70 each + free fertilizer")
