Garden Coleus (Flame Nettle, Painted-Leaf Plant, Painted Nettle)
Coleus X hybridus (Solenostemon scutellariodes). LAMIACEAE (LABIATAE).
Planting and Growing Garden Coleus
You’ll find everything you need to know to plant and grow garden coleus in the accompanying table’s tabs:
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- Flowers, foliage, and root structure of garden coleus
- Plant hardiness and growing conditions for garden coleus
- Season of bloom and planting time for garden coleus
- When, how deep, and where to plant garden coleus
- How to plant garden coleus
- Watering, fertilizing, care, and pests or diseases of garden coleus
- Landscape and container uses of garden coleus
- Comments about garden coleus and its features
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Growing Garden Coleus
Many cultivars of upright, shrublike, perennial, tropical herbs, to 7 ft. (2.2 m) tall. Opposite, textured, green, orange, pink, red, white, yellow, variegated, heart- or dagger-shaped, saw-edged leaves, 3–7 in. (75–180 mm) long, often with contrasting edges, radiate from branching square stems.
Common cultivars include Coleus ‘Carefree’, ‘Fijis’, ‘Fringed Leaf’, ‘Rainbow Series’, ‘Saber’, and ‘Wizard’.
Planting and Care Guide
Blooms
Many insignificant blue, violet, nettlelike flowers; grown for colorful foliage.
Best Climates
A tropical perennial typically planted as a tender annual in zones 2–9, but ground hardy in zones 10–11.
Soil Type and Fertility
Moist, well-drained soil. Fertility: Rich. 7.0–7.5 pH.
Where and How to Plant
Spring in full sun to partial shade, 10–12 in. (25–30 cm) apart. Start seed indoors 8–10 weeks before final frost for early blooms; transplant when soil warms.
Proper Care
Moderate. Keep evenly moist. Fertilize monthly. Pinch flower buds for best leaf development. Propagate by cuttings, seed.
About This Plant
Good choice for accents, beds, borders, containers, edgings, massed plantings in cottage, shade, small-space gardens. Disease resistant. Aphid susceptible.