In now a days, everyone wants to plant some of the beautiful and attractive plants for their gardens. One of them are coleus plants.
Coleus plants are one of the most beautiful and colorful plant. These plants are also known for the names landscape coleus or Plectranthus. This plant features colorful leaves which makes them pleasing and attractive. These plant grows very fast. We can place them indoor as well as outdoor.
These plants come in a large variety of colors. Coleus plants comes in all kind of different cultivation and colors.
Lets began with some important factors of coleus plants.
Sunlight for coleus plants
As we know that coleus plants are very colorful basically, it is a shade plant which prefers indirect Sunlight.
On the other hand, the best color is achieved with direct morning or evening sunlight or under any shade net.
Many varieties of coleus plant do well in both shade as well as partial direct sunlight as long as they are not allowed to dry out.
Watering of coleus plants
Coleus plants need an intelligent watering as these plants grows rapidly. Avoid over water these plants as it encourages roots to root and cause death.
You should water only when the top inch of soil is completely dry or the leaves of plants are dropping. This dropping of leaves can easily cure with watering.
Which Soil and fertilizers should we use
Coleus plants did not need much feedings. Soil mixed with small quantity of any fertilizer is enough for them to grow fast and healthy.
They can grow in any type of soil. You should avoid a well drain soil as it can cause root rotten and crowding of leaves.
Cutting of coleus plants
You should have to keep cutting the top growing ends of coleus plant to promote more growth of branches.
If this task is not performed properly then the stems extends and branches will not grow properly. Just keep cutting the growing branches to promote more branching.
Indoor coleus plants
Coleus plants are best to add colors and interest to your indoor garden. These plants prefer bright light but not extreme light. If you have coleus plants indoors, you can grow them. They will do fine and shade but they really need some sunlight and a healthy air circulation.
You should place it at the window of your bedroom or where the right amount of sunlight focuses. Make sure you have place it where coleus takes a real good chuck of that morning sun.
When the leaves start to shrivel, put in some water. Coleus plants are the most suitable plant for indoors as they required less care. These plants are very resilient and it will let you now when they needs water.
Temperature below 10⁰C was not good for indoor coleus plants. It should be between 16 to 24 ⁰C. At that temperature range, these plants do good and grow faster.
Here are top 10 indoor coleus plants that you should plant indoor.
- Fishnet Stockings
Height/Spread: The fishnet stockings are a type of coleus indoor plant which can grow up to 24-36 inches tall and spread around 12 to 16 inches wide.
Color: This indoor plant has a lime green and burgundy shades.
This coleus plant has a stunning and attractive appearance spreading its vibrant colors in you indoors.
- Wizard Mix
Height/Spread: The Wizard Mix coleus can grow 8-10 inches tall and spreads about 10-14 inches wide.
Color: Wizard Mix has chartreuse, pink and red shades.
The wizard mix coleus has a heart shape leaves and can be place in a dark corner of your indoors. - Trailing Plum
Height/Spread: The trailing plum coleus can grow 10-12 inches tall and spread about 18- 24 inches wide.
Color: it has an attractive neon pink color.
This coleus plant loves the rays to sun so you should probable place in near your shining window. Trailing plum coleus grows in rich, moist and well-draining soil. - Henna Red
Height/Spread: This plant can grow 14-28 inches tall and spread around 14-16 inches wide.
Color: Henna Red has a copper and chartreuse color with a touch of burgundy undersides.
This coleus plant has a frilly-edge chartreuse leaves which offers a variety of shads and catches every eyes. - Electric Lime
Height/Spread: This coleus plant can grow 12 to 15 inches tall and spread 12 to 16 inches wide.
Color: The Electric Lime coleus has a Chartreuse color.
The Electric Lime coleus has a neon green leaves which are very attractive and as you know that fresh green plant always gives freshness in your house so make sure you have such type of coleus plant in your indoor. - Salmon Pink
Height/Spread: The salmon pink plant can grow 30 inches tall and spread about 24 to 30 inches wide.
Color: this plant has pink variegated leaves with burgundy-salmon undersides.
You can grow this coleus plant in your indoor and place it under a light so that is vibrant colors will flourish more. - Super fine Rainbow
Height/Spread: This plant can grow 12 to 15 inches and spread around 10 to 14 inches wide.
Color: Super fine Rainbow has a Chocolate brown color.
Super fine Rainbow has a fiery orange center and green edges with chocolate brown leaves that are eye-catching for everyone. - Wizard Jade
Height/Spread: This plant can grow 12 inches tall and spread around 14 inches wide.
Color: Wizard Jade has an attractive vibrant green.
This coleus plant has an ivory shape leaves and prefers moist soil. You shouldn’t place it in a direct sunlight. - Wizard Velvet Red
Height/Spread: This indoor coleus plant can grow 12 inches tall and spread about 14 inches wide.
Color: It has a Velvet Red color.
The Wizard Velvet Red coleus with rainbow green around its edges looks amazing on indoor pods. It needs a little bit sunlight so you should place it in front of window. - Giant Exhibition Palisandra
Height/spread: This plant can grow 16 inches tall and spread up to 20 inches wide.
Color: The color of this coleus plant is deep purple-black.
Giant Exhibition Palisandra prefers filter shade and moist soil. The leaves of this plant are large in size and purple-black color adds gloomy effect in every watching eye.
Outdoor coleus plants
If you are planting coleus outdoor, you should follow these points to take a good care of your plant.
Water it frequently to keep the soil humid. As soil remains humid, these plants will remain fresh and grow rapidly. Make sure you keep the coleus out of breeze otherwise, it will damage the plant.
In winter season, move your coleus plants inside to protect them from cold. If you left them outside, they would dry and die quickly
Here are the top 10 outdoor coleus plants.
- Black Dragon
Height/Spread: The black dragon coleus plants can grow 12-14 inches tall and spreads around 10-12 inches wide.
Color: The color of Black Dragon is deep burgundy with purple black edges.
Black Dragon coleus plant adds a charming look in your garden. It is one of the best coleus outdoor plant that you should have in your garden. - Big Red Judy
Height/Spread: The Big Red Judy can grow up to 24-40 inches tall and spreads around 18-36 inches wide.
Color: This coleus plant has a sharp Red color.
The Big Red Judy coleus needs a full sunlight and it is the best outdoor coleus plant to grow. - Premium Sun Crimson Gold
Height/Spread: The Premium Sun Crimson Gold coleus plant can grow 18-20 inches tall and spread about 20 inches wide.
Color: This outdoor coleus plant has a crimson gold color.
Premium Sun Crimson Gold is one of the best variety of coleus to grow in your backyard or garden. The vibrant colors of this plant will gloom your garden. - Premium Sun Pineapple Surprise
Height/Spread: The premium sun pineapple surprise can grow 20 to 28 inches tall and spread about 22 to 28 inches wide.
Color: This outdoor coleus plant has 3 different color: Burgundy, Chartreuse and Green.
Premium Sun Pineapple Surprise and bear full sunlight and grow rapidly. These plants fluorescent its different vibrant colors and have attractive shades as well. - Premium Sun Watermelon
Height/Spread: The Premium Watermelon can grow 16-20 inches tall and spread about 18-20 inches wide.
Color: This outdoor coleus plant has Pink, Cream and lime-green shades.
The Premium Sun Watermelon has a beautiful pink leaves with cream and lime green shade on it. It usually preferred moist soil and filtered sunlight. - Kong Rose Coleus
Height/Spread: The Kong Rose Coleus can grow 20 to 24 inches tall and spread up to 24 inches wide.
Color: The color of this plant is rose hue with a touch of green on its edges.
This is a fast growing plant in which you will find different shade of colors and patterns. It mostly favors a shades because direct sunlight can change the color of this beautiful plant. - Premium Sun Dark Chocolate
Height/Spread: The premium sun dark chocolate coleus can grow 24 to 30 inches tall and spread 24 to 30 inches wide.
Color: This outdoor coleus plant has mahogany brown color.
This gorgeous outdoor coleus plant is the upgraded generation of coleus rich with brown shaded petals. You should grow this plant is sunlight to get its mahogany brown color. - Rustic Red Coleus
Height/Spread: The Rustic Red Coleus plant can grow 18-20 inches tall and spread 20 inches wide.
Color: This coleus plant has Rusty Red color.
The rustic red coleus is a beautiful plant to grow in your garden as it has a beautiful rusty red pattern with yellow margins. It prefers moist soil and afternoon shades. - Limelight coleus
Height/Spread: The limelight coleus plant can grow 12 to 16 inches tall and spreads about 12 to 15 inches wide.
Color: Chartreuse
It is one of the giant exhibition coleus series in which the leaves are bright neon-green and chartreuse color. - Superfine Rainbow Master Blend Mix
Height/Spread: The Superfine Rainbow Master Blend Mix can grow 12-15 inches tall and spread about 13 to 16 inches.
Color: Multicolored
This full with different coleus variety shows a remarkable appearance. It looks great in garden beds or borders.
How to propagate coleus plants
Propagation is a process in which you can generate new variety of plants. Coleus plants are easy to propagate or breed.
There are two ways to propagate coleus plants. You may propagate it with seed or cutting. However, cutting is the best option to propagate coleus plants.
Through cutting, we can propagate quickly. It only requires 9 to 10 days. For cutting, use any type of scissors or hand pruners. Sterilize the blade with which you are cutting. If you are growing it in the water then, the cuttings should be 4 to 6 inches but in soil, the cuttings should be 3 to 4 inches. Smoothly, get your cuttings from the top of plant.
Take small amount of water in any small beaker or container. Remove the lower leaves and Put the cutting in the container and place it where the cutting takes a good chuck of morning.
After 9 to 10 day, you will see the roots began to appear. Take out the cutting from the beaker or container. Make a borehole and add some fertilizer. Now, Plant it in your garden or anywhere you want and water it.
Another way to propagate coleus plants is, take the small pots. Add a mixture of garden soil and any fertilizer. Plant the cuttings of coleus in these pots and water it.
You can also use rooting powder for better and quick growth of roots.
Are coleus plants poisonous
Coleus plants are attractive and beautiful but these plants are harmful for humans and pets. If these plants are consumed by humans or by pet animal then, it can cause rash and lead to a different type of health issues. Coleus plants has less poisonous level and are not deadly but it is important to know the side effects and threats of coleus plant.
Poisonous to children
Coleus plants are not digestible, the leaves of this plant are little toxic but if a child eats it then, it can cause digestive disorder. if your child touches the flower, it can cause allergic or a red rash. If the rash appears on your child body then, be calm, it will disappear after some time but if it causes allergic then, contact your child’s pediatrician.
Poisonous to Dogs
Coleus is poisonous to dogs. It can cause illness and sickness in dogs. Coleus contain diterpene coleonol and coleon O, which are poisonous to dogs. So, if dogs ingest these plants, they may experience vomiting, diarrhea and depression.
Poisonous for Cats
Coleus plants are poisonous to cats as these plants have low toxicity which is fetal for cats and kittens. If you have cats in your house, then you should grow coleus plants in your outdoor place. if unfortunately, your cat have eaten this plant, then it can cause vomiting, diarrhea and upset stomach.
Poisonous to other animals
Coleus plants are poisonous to horse as well. It can cause vomiting, upset stomach and diarrhea if a horse eats coleus.
How long do coleus plants live for
Coleus plant is a showstopper of every garden which spread its eye catching colors and make our garden beautiful. It has an amazing leave patterns and array of colors. Once you have grown these plants, then you will definitely love it because of its beautiful and amazing color combinations on leave.
In a frost-free area, these plants can live for several years because coleus plants like moist soil that drains as well.
Coleus plants will not survive in intense sunlight. If you are living in a hot climate area, then you should keep your coleus indoor. It is a tropical plant that cannot bear intense hotness or coolness.
If you want to keep your coleus looking beautiful then pinch its stems regular. Make sure that your coleus is place in a safe place where direct sunlight will not fall or snow stock will not shower on these plants. In this way, coleus plants can live for several years.
How to get seeds from coleus plants
To get seeds from coleus plants, you have to make sure that plant is flowered and healthiest. The healthiest plant has dried flowers and stem of the plant have a brownish shade on them. In the fall, the flower o the bloom spikes started to die and the stem changes its color from green to brown.
Following are some steps to get seeds from coleus plants.
- Use a sharp shear to cut bloom spikes from the coleus plant.
- Don’t try to pull it off forcefully because you will probably pull it by its roots.
- Wrap these bloom spikes in a transparent plastic sheet and take it safely to the indoors for processing.
- Place the bag in a dry warn place for 2 to 3 weeks.
- Shake the bag every day to encourage the evaporation of moisture.
- Some of the seeds will become mature and starts to fall in the bag.
- Remove the seeds gently with your hands and allow them to fall into the bag.
- Squash all the seeds from your fingers and dug it properly in pod with your fingers.
- After some time, the ripe coleus plants will easily pop out of the pod.
