Coleus

Description

Coleus comes from tropical Asia, Australia and the Pacific islands. In its homeland the typical form reaches up to 3 m including the flower spike, but the cultivars grown here are much lower – up to 80 cm.

The stem is square, brittle, juicy, branched and translucent, often coloured differently depending on the variety. When rubbed, it gives off a characteristic smell.

The leaves are broadly egg-shaped with a pointed tip and toothed edges, up to 20 cm long and velvety to the touch. They are brightly coloured, often with a characteristic pattern in another colour. There is a huge variety of leaf colouring among the different varieties.

The flowers are inconspicuous – purplish-white, greenish or bluish-white. The plant flowers rarely, from October to June.

It is most often grown in pots and other containers, not only indoors but also on balconies, terraces, outside windowsills and in the garden. Sometimes it is also planted directly in the ground as an annual bedding plant.

Requirements

It grows well in any fertile garden soil mix. A position in full sun, 20–25°C in summer and 18–20°C in winter. It needs constant but moderate moisture – lack of water quickly makes the leaves wilt, while excess causes root rot. It has no frost resistance at all.

Propagation

It is very easy to propagate vegetatively from stem cuttings at any time of year. The cuttings root easily in water.

It can also be grown from seed, which gives plants in a varied range of colours, as the seeds do not keep the features of the parent variety. Sow the seeds on the surface of the compost in a propagator and cover with film. The seedlings are very small and grow very slowly at first.

Care

Feed from February to October. It is a perennial, but here it is grown only as an annual, because it ages quickly and loses its attractive appearance. It is best to remove the flowers, as they are not very decorative, weaken the plant's growth and spoil its look.