PLNTversePLNTverse
Plants › Seasonal bedding

Coleus (Coleus scutellarioides)

Coleus scutellarioides is an upright to clumping, branching herb with stems often four-angled; sources differ on whether the base may become woody, and cultivated plants are typically dense in form. It is a perennial herb or short-lived perennial and is also commonly grown outdoors as an annual.

LightSources differ somewhat on light requirements: Coleus scutellarioides can grow in bright conditions to partial sun, with outdoor cultivation in sun or partial shade, some sources favoring partial shade, and bright light
WaterKeep the soil moist during active growth while maintaining good drainage; sources also describe ample watering during growth and moist, fertile, loose soil as suitable.
TemperatureA single source reports an ideal temperature range of about 15–30 °C, so sources for this range are few.
Track your Coleus in the PLNTverse app
Coleus illustration

Overview

Coleus scutellarioides is an upright to clumping, branching herb with stems often four-angled; sources differ on whether the base may become woody, and cultivated plants are typically dense in form. It is a perennial herb or short-lived perennial and is also commonly grown outdoors as an annual.

Origin and habitat

Sources differ in describing its native range, placing it broadly in tropical to subtropical Asia through Southeast Asia and the Malay Archipelago to northern Australia, with more detailed floristic accounts including India, Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina, southern China, Taiwan, the Malay Archipelago, Australia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. It is associated with tropical to subtropical conditions and is a tender perennial that does not tolerate cold.

Characteristics

Sources differ on mature height, with a reported range of about 30–100 cm; mature spread is 10–90 cm. The opposite, usually ovate to heart-shaped leaves have petioles and margins ranging from crenate to deeply divided; they may be slightly fleshy and hairy, while wild forms may be patterned and cultivars vary greatly in foliage color, including green, white, cream, yellow, pink, red, maroon, and deep purple. Flowers are borne in terminal upright inflorescences and have a typical two-lipped corolla, with reported colors including blue, blue-purple, purple, pink, or rose-purple; flowering is generally reported from summer through autumn. The fruit is a small nutlet that becomes brown to black when mature, and some descriptions report a glossy surface that becomes mucilaginous when wet.

Light

Sources differ somewhat on light requirements: Coleus scutellarioides can grow in bright conditions to partial sun, with outdoor cultivation in sun or partial shade, some sources favoring partial shade, and bright light needed indoors. Very strong full sun may cause wilting, while insufficient light may lead to leggy growth or cause colorful leaf patterns to turn green.

Watering

Keep the soil moist during active growth while maintaining good drainage; sources also describe ample watering during growth and moist, fertile, loose soil as suitable.

Temperature and dormancy

A single source reports an ideal temperature range of about 15–30 °C, so sources for this range are few.

Growing medium and mounting

Suitable soil is moist, fertile, humus-rich, and well drained; reported suitable soil types include clay, loam, sand, and chalk, with acidic, neutral, or alkaline conditions.

Feeding

For greenhouse or indoor cultivation, a high-nitrogen fertilizer is generally reported to be suitable during active growth.

Propagation

Coleus scutellarioides can be propagated by seed or cuttings, and cuttings root readily in water or clean growing medium. Seeds can be sown in spring and are reported to germinate after a short period.

Common problems

Potential pests include aphids, whiteflies, two-spotted spider mites, mealybugs, and scale insects, with some pests requiring particular attention in indoor or greenhouse cultivation. A single source reports that significant disease problems are generally absent. Full sun may cause wilting, while excessive shade can produce leggy growth and insufficient light may cause colorful leaf patterns to turn green. The plant does not tolerate frost or cold, and some shade can be provided under hot summer conditions.

Identification

The most conspicuous feature is the highly varied colorful or variegated foliage; opposite leaves, often four-angled stems and branches, and crenate to divided leaf margins are also useful recognition features.

Photos

Coleus scutellarioides
📷 no rights reserved, uploaded by Murielle Desrois · CC0 · source

Sources