A few species of the horticulturally neglected Plectranthus genus (Lamiaceae) are used commercially as foliage pot plants. Plectranthus grow naturally in the subtropical south-eastern parts of South Africa as forest-floor plants and the usual flowering time is the autumn. Some species have unusually beautiful tubular flowers in blue, violet, white and pink. Over the last ten years, the first distinctive varieties of Plectranthus have been developed as flowering pot plants in South Africa and further breeding, technical development and marketing is being undertaken by a group of specialist Nurseries in South Africa, Australia, Europe, Japan and the U.S.A. This breeding work has led to a wide variety of compact plants with large and floriferous flower types and beautiful foliage has been developed. Improved foliage characters include: shape (attractively rounded leaves), colour (silver-veined, variegated, underside red-tinted) and smell (pleasantly herbal typical of the mint family). A range of natural flower colours have been selected and some of these varieties now have the largest flowers in the genus. Product development also includes hanging basket plants and floriferous outdoors plants for semi-shaded situations. The new series of hybrid Plectranthus have been introduced under the Trademark ‘Blue Angels’. Plant Breeders’ Rights have been applied for. G.J. Brits, J. Selchau, G. van Deuren. ISHS Acta Horticulturae. www.actahort.org