Cool Coleus
Coleus Care and Garden Design
Coleus are an essential annual for any gardener. They’re extremely easy to grow, are easily found at any garden center, can be placed anywhere in the garden (including pots), and provide lots of fun color!
Coleus Basic Information:
Life Cycle: Annual
Hardy: Not Hardy in Zone 6
Color: Highly Variable
Size: 1-3’ tall, 1-2’ wide
Flowering: Yes — Flowers are considered unattractive. Some newer varieties don’t flower at all.
Season: May-September – Coleus will provide color all summer long and even a little bit into the fall. They just keep growing larger all season long.
Scientific Name: Coleus scutellarioides (formerly Plectranthus s. and Solenostemon s.)
Toxic to Pets: Yes
Deer-Resistant: Yes (low risk of being eaten by deer)
Pollinator Interest: Little to None – Bees and small butterflies might visit the flowers, but not all varieties of Coleus flower.
Coleus Care
Water: Medium – It is best to water them at least 2-3 times a week, or more if you can.
Light: Full Sun to Full Shade – Morning sun and afternoon shade is best. If you put them in the sun, they will need more water. In the shade, they may grow more slowly.
Maintenance: If plants are small, you may pinch off the tops to encourage fuller growth. Cut the flowers off if desired. They may reseed, but the seedlings won’t survive the winter.
Garden Use: In-ground, containers, filler, edging, accent
Concerns: Coleus aren’t usually susceptible to serious pest or disease problems.
Varieties
We plant Coleus in many of our customers’ landscapes every year, and they are fan favorites. Below, we’ll share with you some of the varieties we use that are suitable for Southwest Missouri.
- ChargedUp Campfire
- Orange-red
- ColorBlaze Golden Dreams
- Light green with red veins
- ColorBlaze Royale Pineapple Brandy
- Light green with red serrated margins
- Ignite Ruby Slipper
- Deep red
- Main Street Ruby Road
- Green margins, dark red stripe, and hot pink centers
- Premium Sun Chocolate Covered Cherry
- Light green edges, dark red margins and hot pink centers
- Premium Sun Coral Candy
- Dark margins with pink centers
- Volcanica Redhead
- Deep red
- Volcanica Solar Flare
- Deeply wavy margins with hot pink and dark red mottles
- ChargedUp Campfire
Where Should I Plant Coleus?
Different varieties prefer more sun or more shade, but generally, Coleus do well anywhere in the garden.
If you have irrigation, Coleus will do better where they will get more water.
Coleus work great in containers, but make sure you get a smaller variety. Otherwise, they will crowd out the other plants in the container. In a “thrill, fill, spill” container, Coleus are the “thrill” or the “fill”.
Coleus make great filler or edging for garden beds.
Coleus pair well with any plant. For a list of more companion plants for Coleus, look at our articles on Annuals vs Perennials, Shade Gardening, or Container Gardening.
Conclusion
Coleus are a must-have for any garden: sun or shade, ground or containers. There are many varieties to fill every niche. If you’re wondering what else to plant or just looking for some garden design inspiration, you can see our portfolios here.
Myron Royce Gardens plants hundreds of Coleus plants every year, along with thousands of other annuals, perennials, and trees and shrubs. We also maintain gardens by weeding, trimming, mulching, and more.
If you’re interested in our services, just give us a call at 417-443-2648 or contact us here.
View more examples of Coleus in landscaping by Myron Royce Gardens in Springfield, Missouri:
About the Author
Myron Royce Gardens is a professional landscaping company based in Ozark, MO. We provide landscape design, installation, and maintenance services throughout the Springfield-Branson area.
We started this blog because we want to share our knowledge and expertise with everyone in Southwest Missouri. Landscaping is our passion, and we want it to be a pleasant experience for everyone.
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