🍂 Coleus
Coleus scutellarioides
Grown for leaves so wild they make flowers feel underdressed.
Sun
Part shade to shade (some sun-tolerant varieties)
Days to harvest
Grown for foliage; blooms insignificant
Spacing
10–14 inches apart
Soil pH
6.0–7.0
How to grow
Set out transplants after nights warm up — coleus is a tropical that pouts below 50°F. In Florida it can perennialize in zone 10–11; elsewhere take cuttings in fall (they root in water in days). Pinch flower spikes to keep the foliage show going — blooms are an afterthought.
Water & feeding
Keep evenly moist; wilts dramatically when thirsty but perks up fast. Container plants need daily summer checks.
Common problems
- Mealybugs, especially on overwintered plants
- Leggy growth in too much shade
- Cold damage below 50°F
Harvest
Pinch early and often for bushy plants — every pinch doubles the branches. Snip cuttings anytime; they're the easiest propagation in the garden.
Nerdy fact: Coleus leaf colors come from anthocyanins and other pigments layered in the leaf — the same compounds that make fall foliage. It's autumn, year-round, on purpose.