About Coleus

The common garden Coleus has one of the most confusing names in botany, having been moved between the genera Coleus, Plectranthus, and Solenostemon multiple times. Recently, it was officially moved back to the genus Coleus.

Coleus belongs to the Lamiaceae (Mint) family. Like other mints, it exhibits characteristic square stems and leaves that grow directly opposite each other on the stem.

Unlike most garden annuals prized for their blooms, Coleus is cultivated almost entirely for its spectacular foliage. The small flower spikes are often removed to maintain bushiness and direct energy to the colorful leaves.

Coleus experienced its first major surge in popularity during Victorian-era England (mid-1800s), where it became a fashionable addition to shady parlor windows and elaborate ornamental gardens.

Native to warm, tropical regions of Southeast Asia (especially Indonesia and Sri Lanka) and parts of Australia.

Sometimes referred to as “Painted Nettle” because its leaves resemble those of the stinging nettle, though Coleus does not sting.

Historically, all Coleus varieties required full shade. Modern breeding has produced remarkable sun-tolerant cultivars that can handle intense, direct light without scorching.

Due to extensive hybridization, Coleus appears in nearly every color combination imaginable—electric lime green, shocking pink, deep burgundy, and vivid orange among them.

Beyond color, Coleus foliage varies dramatically in form: some possess tiny, smooth, trailing leaves, while others display enormous, deeply ruffled or lobed leaves (such as the ‘Kong’ series).

Among the easiest plants to propagate. Simply place a stem cutting in water—it typically roots within two weeks and is ready for potting.

In its native tropical habitat (and USDA Zones 10+), Coleus is a tender perennial living multiple years. In frost-prone areas, it must be treated as an annual or brought indoors for winter.

The vibrant colors derive from pigments called anthocyanins (reds/purples) and carotenoids (yellows/oranges). Intensity often depends on light levels.

Many cultivars bear evocative, descriptive names—’Black Dragon,’ ‘Inky Fingers,’ ‘Flame Thrower,’ and ‘Rediculous’—emphasizing their dramatic foliage.

Pinching or trimming growing tips triggers hormone release that encourages branching, resulting in bushier, more compact plants.

Though gardeners often remove flower spikes, when left intact, the small bluish-purple blooms attract hummingbirds and bees.

Some varieties possess a soft, velvety texture due to fine, dense hairs on the leaves.

A different species, Coleus forskohlii, is cultivated in Ayurvedic medicine. Its roots contain forskolin, historically used to treat ailments like high blood pressure and asthma.

Certain species (Coleus esculentus) are cultivated specifically for their edible root tubers in Africa, similar to potatoes.

Coleus is notably dramatic when requiring water—if soil becomes too dry, it will aggressively wilt but typically recovers within an hour of watering.

If allowed to flower and set seed outdoors, Coleus may self-sow and produce new plants the following spring—though offspring may not resemble the parent plant.