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Coleus is a fast growing hanging houseplant
that comes in over 100 different leaf colors, textures, shapes, & designs. It was very popular during the Victorian era
but fell out of favor for a while because of the poor plant quality being sold. Today it is once again very popular both as
an indoor house plant and as an outdoor plant. The colors on coleus leaves may be a
mixture of lavender, cream, pink, maroon, yellow, red, bronze, and various shades of green. The color patterns can be
marbled, stripped, or dappled. If you have a very bright area in your home that calls for a hanging plant, then a coleus is
for you.
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CARE OF COLEUS
Light: Very bright light is a must for a coleus. It can even gradually get used to a few hours of direct sunlight. Florescent
grow lights help make the foliage leaf color even more spectacular.
Water:
This is a fast growing plant in very bright light so it dries out more quickly than many other plants. Keep the soil moist
but never soggy; allow the top inch or two to dry out before watering. I often allow my coleus to droop just a little before
watering it; it quickly perks up after a little drink. Consistent over watering will rot the roots.
Temperature: A coleus plant likes to be warm, 70-85 degrees is ideal. It can survive in temperatures as low as
55 degrees.
Fertilizer: The best food for a coleus is fish emulsion, which
can be purchased at any nursery. Feed a coleus monthly with a basic balanced plant food, 15/15/15, at ½ strength.
Pruning: Pruning is extremely important if you want your coleus to be full
and bushy and especially if you don’t want it to think that it’s time to die. A coleus produces small inconsequential
flowers. These need to be immediately removed as soon as they appear. If allowed to remain on the plant & go to seed,
your coleus will die. Keep pinching back the tip growth this will force lateral growth on the stems and your plant will always
be full and never leggy.
Pests: Mealy bugs, aphids, and whitefly are attracted to coleus plants. Cheek your plant weekly so these pests don’t get a foothold on too many of the vibrant
colored leaves; washing the plant frequently with warm water helps keep insects away. Once infested, spray with the green solution & also place a yellow sticky card insect trap on the soil to trap flying insects.
Propagation: A coleus is easily propagated
from stem clippings. Cut off a 3-4” segment of stem, place in water, removing any leaves that will be under the water
line, and watch the roots quickly sprout. Plant several rooted clippings in a small pot of loose soil to ensure a full plant.
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| Coleus |
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| Photo copyright Superdumb |
COLEUS FAQ’S
1. My coleus is so thin and leggy looking. What should I do?
There are several things you can do. Cut the
plant way back, depending how bad it looks you can even go as far as the soil line; then move your coleus to a much brighter
location or place it under some florescent grow lights if you don’t have enough natural light.
2. My coleus is very droopy but the soil is wet.
You have over watered your plant and all or some of the
roots are dead. Cut your plant way back and allow the soil to dry out. Hopefully there are still a few roots left that will
allow the plant to start growing again.
3. The colors of the leaves of my coleus
look faded. It hangs in a huge south facing window and gets plenty of sun.
That’s the problem; it’s
getting too much direct sun. Move it to an area that gets bright indirect or filtered light and the colors should become more
vibrant again.
4. Can I move my coleus outside for the summer?
A coleus
is a great outdoor plant, just be careful that it does not get too much sunlight and be sure to bring it inside before temperatures
go below 55 degrees.
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