Plectranthus scutellarioidesColeus

No other bedding plant offers the colour range of the Plectranthus scutellarioides. Coleus is grown entirely for its foliage, and the selections available run through lime, chartreuse, burgundy, scarlet, pink, cream and a near-black purple, very often several of them at once on the same toothed velvety leaf.

It is used in seasonal mass bedding and colour blocks, in shaded borders where flowering plants will not perform, and heavily in containers and interior planting.

Specifications

• Height0.3 to 0.8 metres, reaching 1 metre on vigorous selections
• Width0.3 to 0.6 metres
• Native toSoutheast Asia, from Indonesia and Malaysia through to northern Australia
• FoliageOpposite, toothed, velvety leaves in combinations of lime, burgundy, scarlet, pink, cream and near black; evergreen in frost-free conditions
• Growth rateFast

Conditions

• SoilPrefers fertile, free-draining soils that hold moisture
• LightPartial shade to full sun, with colour deepest in bright filtered light; many selections scorch in intense sun
• WaterModerate to regular; wilts quickly if allowed to dry
• ClimateThrives in tropical and subtropical regions and is grown as seasonal bedding in warm temperate climates

Additional Features

• FormSoft-stemmed bushy mound; pinch out the flower spikes to keep the foliage dense
• UsesIdeal for seasonal mass bedding and colour blocks, shaded borders, container display and interior planting
• SpacingPlant 0.25 to 0.4 metres apart for a solid block of colour
• Low MaintenancePinch regularly to keep the habit compact and replace the bed when the display tires
• Pest ResistanceGenerally sound, with mealybug and whitefly the usual concerns
• Seasonal AppealDelivers a full season of colour without depending on a flowering cycle
• VersatilityWorks as bedding, edging, container filler and interior planting

Coleus is the fastest route to a saturated block of colour in a shaded bed, and it never has to flower to get there.