How to Grow Coleus: The Complete Guide

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zzz555zzz/Shutterstock
Botanical Name
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Plant Type
Sun Exposure
Soil pH
Bloom Time
Flower Color
Hardiness Zone

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How to Plant, Grow, and Care for Coleus Plants

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Known for its colorful foliage, Coleus is a wonderful, low-maintenance plant that adds color to outdoor containers. Take cuttings in the fall to keep this tender annual growing through winter.

About Coleus

With hundreds of varieties displaying many different vibrant shades of numerous colors (e.g., nearly black, bronze, burgundy, cream-color, green, orange, pink, red, yellow, and white) in dramatic ways (e.g., borders, dots, splashes, splotches, streaks, and veins) on large to small leaves with wild shapes and styles (e.g., crinkled, elongated, fingerlike, lobed, ruffled, scalloped, twisted, and webbed), coleuses always liven up drab spaces. 

Although coleuses have square stems like other members of the mint family (Lamiaceae), they display none of their cousins’ invasive qualities. Native to Africa, India, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asia, coleuses take three plant forms— upright, rounded, and trailing—and range in height from 6 to 36 inches.

Also known as flame nettle, painted nettle, and painted leaf, coleus is a winter-hardy herbaceous perennial in Zones 10 and 11 that is treated as an annual elsewhere. While traditionally shade-tolerant, some modern varieties will thrive in the sun, too. Be sure to check with your garden nursery on the variety.

 

coleus in a pot

Planting

Purchasing new plants or starting coleuses from cuttings is recommended. Take 4- to 6-inch cuttings in fall before the first frost. Cut right above a leaf node, then remove the lower leaves. Place in a glass jar filled with water. When roots are 1 to 2 inches long, transplant to a small pot filled with potting mix, grow these in a sunny window or under lights. Maintain moisture and mist to aid humidity.

Plants can also be started from seeds (note that seeds do not produce identical plants; use cuttings, if this
is the goal); set seeds on the surface of 3 inches of seed-starting mix 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost date. Supply with light (for germination) and transplant outdoors when evening temperatures are consistently at least 60°F.

Coleuses thrive in heat up to 95°F; plants will languish in temperatures below 55°F, and leaves will fall off in colder conditions.

Avoid windy locations; extreme winds can cause stems to break.

Water thoroughly after planting and keep roots consistently moist for the first 7 to 10 days. Good drainage is essential; “wet feet” (excessive water) can result in stunted growth and brown foliage.

Growing

Provide proper light exposure for the variety. Although coleuses were once considered shade or dappled-sunlight plants only, breeders have now developed full sun–tolerant varieties. Generally, dark-leaf varieties are more sun-tolerant, while plants with lighter foliage need more shade. For all, avoid deep shade.

Water when the soil is dry at a 1 inch depth. Water the soil and base of the plant; avoid wetting the foliage. 

Slow-release balanced formula fertilizers are suggested at half strength every 2 weeks. Excess fertilizer can weaken the leaf colorization.

Pinch back flower spikes to maintain bushiness and plant vigor. (Trailing varieties are the most likely to bloom.) Note that the tiny flowers are not without appeal: They appear in shades of blue, purple, and white on spikes that lure hummingbirds. Spikes gathered in a bouquet can be attractive. Many new cultivars have been bred to be slow bloomers, almost eliminating the need for them to be pinched back.

Overwintering Coleus

  • In cooler regions, take cuttings from your plants before the first frost in the fall and place them in water to root. 
  • Plant the rooted cuttings in small pots and keep them near a sunny window for the winter.
  • Come spring, once the danger of frost has passed, plant the coleus outdoors.

red coleus

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Wit and Wisdom

  • Coleus was a favorite plant in Victorian gardens. British and American Victorians used coleuses in elaborate “carpet gardens” and “carpet bedding,” which were living mosaics of outdoor plants that often mirrored indoor rug patterns.
  • Research has shown that within several hours after a coleus stem is wounded, some of its cells around the wound immediately start to divide. After 2 days or so, some of these cells differentiate into a different cell type that can transport water around the wound.
  • Coleus is a member of the mint and dead nettle family.
  • Coleus was first discovered in 1853 in the mountains of Java, which is Indonesia’s most populous island today.

Pests/Diseases

  • Insect pests to watch for are aphids, mealy bugs, and whiteflies
  • Stem rot and root rot can occur if soil is too wet.
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann