PlantFiles: Scaredy Cat, Scardy Plant, Cat Repellent Plant, Dogs Be Gone Coleus
Coleus canina

Have grown this plant for 3 summers successfully and it does work. I take cuttings each fall and root lots of them in water, then transplant to peat pots and finally put outside after last frost date. (I'm in 6b zone) You do need lots of plants; it is very definitely skunk smelling and will smell when touched or disturbed - if you handle the plant it will leave a slight skunk smell on your hands. Will even smell indoors under growlights in the winter if you disturb the leaves. Bloom is non-descript (might even try cutting bloom off to cut down on smell and grow strictly for foliage), grown for foliage, plants wind up mounding nicely, but I do not put out on the edge of my border, instead space around by edges shrubs and in the middle of a bed. My dogs avoid it and so do neighborhood cats. It loves hot, dry soil and the tiny plants will flourish once outdoors and hot late June-August weather hits.

This plant growns in full afternoon sun as well as in full shade. I have it in a pot that I move around the garden where cats need repelling. So far it seems to be working. As the stems grow and rest on the ground, they will set roots out.

Very easy to grow & propagate like other coleus'. Has an odor similar to skunk. I call them my skunk plants. Its purpose is to repel rabbits, cats, dogs, & fox. I purchased 2 plants from Home Depot and took many cuttings to propagate it through several of my flower beds. I don't know how well it worked. It seems you would have to have quite a few before it would do very much repeling. They are not really obnoxious unless you get down & breath deeply. A slight odor is noticeable when watering them but not too bad. Nice looking light green foliage plants. Repeling quality still to be determined. I hope to overwinter enough to have a better idea on that next year.