Coleus – The Ultimate Growing Guide from Proven Winners®
Follow these growing tips and space 1-2’ apart, depending on the variety:
Coleus Care – Information On Growing Coleus
Perhaps you know them as painted nettle or poor man’s croton, depending on where you’re located, but for many of us we simply know them as coleus plants (Coleus blumei). I, for one, love them, as do many others. They have some of the most stunningly colored foliage—in combinations of green, yellow, pink, red, maroon, etc. Coleus also have a wide variety of leaf sizes and overall shapes. This means that no matter what area you are looking to put coleus, you can find one that will be perfect. These plants are great for adding color in the garden (or home), especially in those dark, drab-looking corners.
Growing Coleus Plants
Coleus is probably one of the easiest plants to grow and propagate. In fact, the plants root so easily that you can even start cuttings in a glass of water. They can also be propagated by seed indoors about eight to ten weeks prior to your last expected spring frost.
Coleus can be added to beds and borders for interest or grown in containers. They need fertile, well-draining soil and usually perform best in areas with partial shade, though many varieties can also tolerate sun.
When growing coleus, keep in mind that these beauties can grow rapidly. Plant coleus close together as bedding plants or tuck them into baskets and containers for a fast growing and spectacular addition.
Care for Coleus Plant
Caring for coleus is just as easy. They need to be kept moist, especially newly planted coleus. Container plants also require more frequent watering than those grown in the garden. Although it’s not required, the plants can be given a boost of half-strength liquid fertilizer during their active growth in spring and summer.
Their spiked flowers usually appear in summer; however, these can be removed if desired. You can also pinch the shoots of young coleus plants to produce bushier growth.
Another factor in coleus care is overwintering, as these plants, which are considered tender annuals, are highly susceptible to cold temperatures. Therefore, they must either be dug up, potted, and brought indoors for overwintering or grown through cuttings to establish additional plants.
Coleus – The Ultimate Growing Guide from Proven Winners ®
Coleus is a tropical plant with striking foliage often grown as an annual. A highly popular bedding plant during Victorian times, this member of the mint family is easy to grow, rewarding with months of continuous color.
Buy coleus plants – Order online and have plants shipped right to your door
Coleus comes in an array of foliage colors, including red, pink, orange, yellow, chartreuse, green, burgundy and purple. Leaves 1-6” long can be pointed, oval or scalloped, many with intricate veining or patterns. Coleus flower in late summer, with blue flower spikes that are often trimmed off for a neater appearance. Though most are bush types, there are trailing varieties as well.
Tolerant of sun, shade and heat, coleus is a quick grower that can be massed in the landscape, used as a filler element in a container, or allowed to cascade in a hanging basket or window box. With hundreds of different varieties to choose from, there’s a coleus to suit any garden style or color scheme.
PLANTING and CARING FOR COLEUS
How to plant: Wait until temperatures are consistently above 60 degrees F before planting outdoors.
Coleus does best in partial to full shade, though many newer varieties can tolerate full sun. For optimum foliage color, choose a site that receives morning sun and afternoon shade. See more foliage plants for shade.
Follow these growing tips and space 1-2’ apart, depending on the variety:
- Loosen soil in the planting area to a depth of 6-12”.
- Remove plant from the nursery pot and loosen roots if potbound.
- Set plant in the hole with the top of the root ball level with the surrounding soil.
- Backfill the hole with soil and tamp down lightly to remove air pockets.
- Water regularly until plants are established.
Soil: Coleus prefers rich soil with good drainage. Compacted, clay or poorly draining soil can lead to root rot.
Watering: Coleus plants do best with evenly moist soil. Water when the top 1-2” of soil feels dry to the touch. Provide more water during prolonged heat or dry spells. Overwatering can cause root rot.
Fertilizing: At the time of planting, apply a slow-release all-purpose fertilizer according to instructions. Supplement with a balanced water-soluble fertilizer once a month.
Pruning: Pinch stem tips on young plants to promote branching and a full bushy habit. Cut off flower spikes as they appear to put energy back into foliage growth.
Containers: Coleus make excellent container plants, as a stand-alone accent, or as a thriller or spiller element in combination with other plants. Use high-quality all-purpose potting soil and make sure containers have adequate drainage holes.
Houseplants: Coleus can be grown as a houseplant. Place in a window that receives bright indirect light or under grow lights. Provide adequate humidity and keep plants in temperatures of 60 degrees F or higher.
TRY THESE PROVEN WINNERS ® VARIETIES
Coleus comes in a wide array of leaf colors, patterns and shapes. Add these to your landscape:
Color Blaze ® Lime Time ® has vivid chartreuse coloring that holds up well throughout the growing season. Adapts to a wide range of light conditions and is heat tolerant. Use this larger variety in mass plantings, as border edging or as a thriller element in containers. The lime-green coloring pairs well with many other plants.
Color Blaze ® Sedona Sunset ® produces rich colors of coppery-orange with plum highlights, reminiscent of a southwestern sunset. Use this tall vigorous grower in mixed borders, massed as a bedding plant, as a thriller element or stand-alone accent in containers. Combine with complementary blue or purple hues for a pop of contrast.
Color Blaze ® Wicked Witch ™ has deep burgundy foliage rimmed with a thin margin of chartreuse along the scalloped leaf edges, providing a bright pop of contrast. Tolerant of heat and varying light conditions, flowers appear late in the season, keeping energy into foliage production. The taller upright habit is useful in mixed borders, massed in the landscape, or as a container accent.
Color Blaze ® Rediculous ® is a vigorous well-branching variety with rich burgundy-red foliage. Coloring becomes more intense with increased sun. In arid regions, plant in partial to full shade. Combine with colors of chartreuse, yellow or blue for a dazzling pop of contrast. Use this taller form as a background element in the landscape or as a filler in containers.
Color Blaze ® Royale Pineapple Brandy ™ has pointy serrated leaves with golden-green pineapple coloring and hints of deep burgundy-purple. Light up a deeply shaded area with this sun and shade-tolerant variety. The slightly more compact form is useful in mass plantings or as a thriller element in a container in combination with other warm-season annuals.
Color Blaze ® Newly Noir ™ is a newer variety with velvety dark purple, nearly black foliage. Contrast with hot hues of red or yellow for sizzling summer color, or combine with silver or blue for a more sophisticated look. Use this taller form in a mixed border, as a background plant or in a container in combination with other warm-season annuals.
COLEUS FAQ’s
Is coleus a perennial? Do coleus come back?
Hardy in USDA zones 10-11, coleus is a tender perennial but is most often grown as an annual. Since coleus are sensitive to cooler temperatures, they will only come back the following year in the warmest regions.
Do deer eat coleus?
Some gardeners consider coleus deer resistant, while others may experience moderate to severe browsing.
How long do coleus plants live?
Coleus will last from planting until the first frost.
What to plant with coleus in a container?
Many small perennials or warm-season annuals pair well with coleus. Choose plants with similar cultural needs. See these
COMPANION PLANTS
Many other plants complement coleus in the landscape. Here are some suggestions:
For shady beds, combine coleus with other shade lovers such as:
- Infinity ® Blushing Lilac New Guinea impatiens
- Endless ™ Illumination bush violet
- Heart to Heart ® Fast Flash ™ caladium
- Catalina ® Pink wishbone flower
For sunny sites, coleus can be planted alongside:
- Toucan ® Yellow canna lily
- Unplugged ® So Blue ™ mealycup sage
- Graceful Grasses ® ‘Fireworks’ variegated red fountain grass
- Supertunia ® Royal Velvet ® petunia
Pair coleus in containers with other plants such as:
- Luscious ® Berry Blend ™ lantana
- Proven Accents ® Sweet Carolina Raven ™ ornamental sweet potato vine
- Shadow Dancers ® Violette fuchsia
- Superbells ® Dreamsicle ® calibrachoa