Coleus: How to Grow and Care with Success

Why Should I Grow Coleus?

There are several reasons to consider growing coleus in your garden or as a houseplant:

Attractive foliage: Coleus plants are known for their stunning, colorful foliage that comes in various shades and patterns. Their eye-catching leaves can instantly brighten up any space, indoors or outdoors.

Versatility: Coleus can be grown in various settings, including flower beds, borders, containers, hanging baskets, and as a houseplant. They work well in both sun and shade, depending on the variety, allowing you to use them in different areas of your garden or home.

Easy to grow: The plants are low-maintenance and easy to care for, making them suitable for beginner gardeners. They grow quickly and can tolerate various soil types as long as the soil is well-draining and consistently moist.

Attracts pollinators: Although it is primarily grown for its foliage, its small, tubular flowers can attract pollinators like bees and butterflies.

Great for mixed plantings: Coleus can be combined with other plants in containers or garden beds, providing a striking contrast to flowering plants or green foliage.

Easy propagation: Coleus can be easily propagated through stem cuttings, allowing you to expand your collection or share plants with friends and family without much effort.

Long-lasting color: While many flowering plants have a limited bloom time, coleus provides color through its foliage from spring until frost, ensuring a vibrant display for an extended period.

Popular Coleus Varieties

There are numerous varieties available, each with unique colors and patterns. While it’s difficult to list every type, here are some main groups and popular varieties within each group:

Large-leaved varieties:

• ‘Kong Series’: Known for their massive leaves in shades of green, red, and yellow with contrasting veins and patterns.
• ‘Marquee Series’: These plants feature large, serrated leaves with eye-catching colors and patterns.

Small-leaved varieties:

• ‘Wizard Series’: Compact plants with smaller leaves in a wide range of colors, including green, red, purple, and pink.
• ‘Fairway Series’: Another small-leaved group with various colors and patterns, perfect for container gardens or borders.

Sun-tolerant varieties:

• ‘Sunlover Series’: Bred to withstand full sun, these plants boast vibrant colors and patterns that don’t fade in sunlight.
• ‘Solar Series’: Another sun-tolerant group, available in various colors and patterns, including lime green, deep purple, and red.

Trailing or cascading varieties:

• ‘Lava Rose’: A trailing coleus with dark purple leaves and a bright pink center.
• ‘Swinging Linda’: Features a unique trailing habit with lime-green leaves edged in deep burgundy.

Upright varieties:

• ‘Dipt in Wine’: An upright variety with green leaves featuring a wine-red center.
• ‘Tilt-a-Whirl’: This variety has deeply cut, swirling leaves in green and burgundy.

These are just a few examples of the many types available. With countless hybrids and cultivars, coleus offers a wide array of choices to suit any taste and garden condition.

When to Plant Coleus

• Coleus is typically grown as an annual and can be started indoors from seeds or cuttings about 8 to 10 weeks before the last expected frost date.
• Alternatively, you can purchase established plants from a nursery and transplant them outdoors once the risk of frost has passed and nighttime temperatures remain consistently above 50°F (10°C).

Where to Plant Coleus

• Sunlight: They perform best in partial shade, as intense sunlight can cause the colors of their foliage to fade. However, some sun-tolerant varieties can be grown in full sun, provided they receive adequate water.
• Soil: Coleus plants prefer well-draining soil with a good amount of organic matter. They thrive in fertile, loamy soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH, ideally in the range of 6.0 to 7.0. When planting in containers, it’s best to use a high-quality, well-draining potting mix that retains moisture but doesn’t become waterlogged.
• Placement: Coleus plants can be grown in a variety of locations, including garden beds, borders, containers, or hanging baskets.

How to Plant Coleus

• Choose a location with well-draining soil and partial shade (or full sun for sun-tolerant varieties). Amend the soil with compost or well-rotted manure to improve its fertility and drainage if needed.
• Dig a hole slightly larger than the root ball of the plant.
• Gently remove the plant from its container, being careful not to damage the roots. Place the plant into the hole so that the top of the root ball is level with the surrounding soil.
• Fill in the hole around the plant with soil, gently firming it down as you go to eliminate air pockets.
• Space the plants 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) apart to allow for good air circulation.
• Water the plant thoroughly to settle the soil around the roots.
• Apply a layer of mulch around the base of the plant to help conserve moisture and suppress weeds. Keep the mulch at least an inch away from the stem to avoid rotting.

Caring for Coleus Plants

Caring for coleus plants involves a few simple steps to ensure they remain healthy and vibrant:

• Watering: Coleus plants prefer consistently moist soil. Water them regularly, allowing the soil to dry slightly between waterings. Be careful not to overwater, as this can lead to root rot. Container-grown coleus may require more frequent watering than those planted in the ground.
• Fertilizing: Coleus benefits from regular feeding with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer. Apply the fertilizer every 4-6 weeks during the growing season, following the package instructions for the proper dilution rate.
• Pruning: Pinch back the growing tips and remove any flower spikes to encourage bushier growth and keep the plant’s energy focused on producing vibrant foliage. Regular pruning will also help maintain the desired size and shape of the plant.
• Overwintering: Coleus plants are typically grown as annuals, but they can be overwintered indoors in colder climates. Before the first frost, take cuttings or dig up the entire plant and transplant it into a container. Place the container in a bright, sunny spot indoors and water sparingly throughout the winter months. Gradually acclimate the plants to outdoor conditions in the spring before replanting them outdoors.

By following these care tips, your coleus plants will reward you with beautiful, vibrant foliage throughout the growing season.

How to Propagate

Propagating coleus is relatively easy and can be done using stem cuttings. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

• Choose a healthy plant: Select a healthy coleus plant with strong, vigorous growth. Look for stems that are not flowering, as they will root more easily.
• Prepare the cutting: Using clean, sharp scissors or pruning shears, take a stem cutting about 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) long. Make the cut just below a leaf node (the point where the leaf meets the stem). Remove the leaves from the lower half of the cutting, leaving only the top leaves.
• Rooting hormone (optional): Although coleus cuttings root quite easily, you can dip the cut end into rooting hormone to increase the chances of successful root development. This step is optional.
• Prepare the growing medium: Fill a small pot or container with a well-draining potting mix or use a mix of half peat moss and half perlite. Moisten the mix slightly.
• Plant the cutting: Create a hole in the potting mix with a pencil or your finger. Insert the cut end of the coleus cutting into the hole, ensuring that the lower leaf nodes are covered by the mix. Gently firm the soil around the cutting to hold it in place.
• Provide humidity: To maintain high humidity around the cutting, cover the pot with a clear plastic bag, a plastic dome, or a glass jar. Ensure there is enough space above the cutting so that the leaves do not touch the cover.
• Place the pot in the right environment: Keep the pot in a warm, bright location, out of direct sunlight. A temperature of around 70°F (21°C) is ideal. Check the soil moisture regularly and keep it slightly moist but not soggy.
• Monitor for root development: After about 2-3 weeks, you should see new growth on the cutting, indicating successful rooting. To check for root development, gently tug on the cutting; if you feel resistance, it has likely formed roots.
• Transplant: Once the cutting has established a healthy root system, you can transplant it into a larger pot or its final location in the garden.

Landscaping with Coleus

Landscaping with coleus is an excellent way to add vibrant color and visual interest to your garden. Coleus plants are prized for their stunning foliage, which comes in a wide range of colors, patterns, and textures. Here are some ideas for incorporating coleus into your garden design:

Mixed borders: Plant coleus alongside flowering perennials, shrubs, and other foliage plants in mixed borders. The colorful foliage of coleus can help fill in gaps and create a harmonious tapestry of colors and textures.

Container gardens: Coleus plants thrive in containers, making them perfect for adding a pop of color to patios, decks, and balconies. Mix coleus with other shade-loving annuals, such as impatiens, begonias, and ferns, or create a dramatic focal point with a single, large coleus plant.

Shade gardens: Coleus plants are well-suited to shady areas of the garden, where their bright foliage can help to brighten up darker spaces. Plant them among hostas, ferns, and other shade-loving plants for a lush, colorful display.

Mass plantings: For a bold, dramatic effect, plant large groups of coleus together in a single color or mix several different varieties for a stunning, multi-colored display.

Focal points: Some coleus varieties can grow quite large, making them ideal focal points in the garden. Plant a single, eye-catching specimen in a prominent location to create a striking visual statement.

Edging: Plant low-growing coleus varieties along garden borders or walkways to create a colorful, well-defined edge.

Coleus Companion Plants

When choosing companion plants for coleus, consider those that have similar light, water, and soil requirements. Here are some great companion plants:

Impatiens: With their colorful blooms and shade-loving nature, impatiens make a great companion for coleus in shaded areas.

Begonias: Like coleus, begonias offer a wide range of colors and patterns. They can thrive in the same conditions as coleus, making them an excellent choice for a combined display.

Caladiums: Caladiums, with their strikingly patterned leaves, can provide an interesting contrast to coleus in a shade garden.

Ferns: Ferns add a delicate texture to the garden and can help to soften the bold foliage of coleus.

Heuchera (Coral Bells): Heuchera is a shade-loving perennial that offers a variety of colorful foliage, making it an attractive partner for coleus.

Hostas: Hostas come in various shades of green and blue and can create a beautiful contrast when planted alongside coleus.

Fuchsia: The vibrant flowers of fuchsia plants can add an extra pop of color to a coleus-dominated arrangement.

Lobelia: Lobelia’s delicate flowers and mounding habit can complement the bold foliage of coleus.

Pests and Diseases

Coleus plants can be susceptible to several pests and diseases. Here are some common issues and how to manage them:

Aphids: These small, sap-sucking insects can cause distorted growth, yellowing leaves, and a sticky residue called honeydew. To control aphids, you can use insecticidal soap, neem oil, or release beneficial insects like ladybugs into your garden.

Spider mites: These tiny pests can cause stippling and yellowing of leaves, as well as fine webbing on the undersides of leaves. Keep plants well-watered, as spider mites thrive in dry conditions. Use insecticidal soap, neem oil, or predatory mites to control spider mite infestations.

Whiteflies: Whiteflies are small, white insects that feed on plant sap, leading to yellowing leaves and honeydew. Control whiteflies with insecticidal soap, neem oil, or yellow sticky traps.

Mealybugs: These small, cottony insects can cause distorted growth and yellowing leaves. Remove mealybugs with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol or use insecticidal soap or neem oil.

Slugs and Snails: These pests can chew holes in coleus leaves, especially during damp weather. Handpick slugs and snails or use slug traps, diatomaceous earth, or copper tape to deter them.

Powdery mildew: This fungal disease appears as a white, powdery substance on leaves, leading to distorted growth and leaf drop. To prevent powdery mildew, provide good air circulation, avoid overhead watering, and remove affected leaves. Use fungicides like neem oil or potassium bicarbonate to control existing infections.

Root rot: Overwatering or poorly drained soil can lead to root rot, which causes wilting, yellowing leaves, and plant death. Prevent root rot by ensuring well-draining soil and watering only when the top inch of soil is dry.

Downy mildew: This fungal disease appears as yellowing leaves with grayish-purple spores on the undersides. Prevent downy mildew by providing good air circulation and avoiding overhead watering. Use fungicides like copper-based products to control infections.

Regularly inspect your coleus plants for signs of pests or diseases and act promptly to manage any issues. Maintaining good cultural practices, such as proper watering, spacing, and sanitation, can help to prevent many problems.

Compare all Coleus Varieties

Frequently Asked Questions

Do coleus prefer sun or shade?

Coleus plants can tolerate a range of light conditions, from partial shade to full sun. However, they generally perform best in bright, indirect light or filtered sunlight. The ideal light conditions for coleus can vary depending on the specific cultivar and its leaf coloration. Some varieties with deeper, more intense colors can tolerate more sun, while others with lighter, more delicate colors may prefer more shade. In general, coleus plants appreciate some protection from intense afternoon sun, especially in hotter climates.

Do coleus plants come back every year?

Coleus plants are perennial in their native tropical environments, but they are typically grown as annuals in temperate climates where they cannot survive freezing temperatures. If you live in an area with frost or freezing temperatures, you will need to bring your coleus plants indoors during the winter or treat them as annuals and replace them each year.

Where is the best place to plant coleus?

The best place to plant coleus is in an area with well-draining soil and bright, indirect light or filtered sunlight. If you are planting coleus in the ground, space them 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) apart to allow for good air circulation. If you are planting coleus in containers, use a high-quality, well-draining potting mix. Coleus plants can be used in various garden settings, including borders, flower beds, containers, and hanging baskets. They can also be combined with other shade-loving plants as companion plants.

How long do coleus plants live for?

In their native tropical environments, coleus plants can live for several years as perennials. However, in most temperate climates, they are grown as annuals and will only live for one growing season before being killed by frost. If you bring your coleus plants indoors during the winter, they can survive for several years as houseplants, provided they receive adequate light, water, and care.