Beer and Citrus

As I was wandering around Nana's greenhouse yesterday, I came across a Proven Winners plant labelled 'Cerveza 'N Lime' Plectranthus hybrid. It looks identical to the plant I have been calling Cuban Oregano and which I have been growing for more than 30 years. In January I found a Latin name for it, Plectranthus Amboinicus. So we are on the right track. Since Nana's is selling these for $7 each, I have a fortune in my greenhouse. On the left is Proven Winner plant, on the right is mine.

As I understand it, all the name 'Cerveza 'N Lime' does is establish a trademark. Mine does not smell at all like either beer or lime, and I realized later that I should have taken a sniff of the PW one. The Spanish word may be an homage to some of the inaccurate names by which this plant is called, including Cuban Oregano, Mexican Mint, and Spanish Thyme. It is related to mint, but its region of origin is East Africa and Southern Asia. Lime, perhaps because of its color. I could not sell the plants that I have been propagating for more than 30 years using PW's made-up name, but I could give my version a funky new name and claim it as an unregistered trademark. Registering the trademark with the Patent Office gives more protection, but it costs $350 and I doubt I will ever sell enough (if any) to justify that cost.

Here is a supersecret photo smuggled out of the greenhouse where the plants are being propagated. May I introduce Plectranthus 'Velveteen Hammer' ™, "Velveteen" beause of the fuzzy leaves and "Hammer" because...I don't know.

Try again. May I introduce Plectranthus 'Velveteen Aromatic' ™. I could add "variegata" to the name, but truth be told the faint yellow rims on the leaves are probably a nutrient deficiency and not variegation. I'll give them a feeding on Fertilizer Friday.

Later that day: I found another example on several succulent sites. It's called Plectranthus tomentosa 'Vicks Plant.' Google AI claims it is called 'Vicks Plant' because it smells like Vicks VapoRub. Uh, sure. It looks just like my 'Velveteen Aromatic.'