Coleus - Jewels of the Garden
Colorful Leaves of Beautiful Gem Tones can Grace Your Garden
Jun 30, 2008
Coleus is an old fashioned plant that appeared in most gardens decades ago and are just as beautiful now as they were then, maybe more. They came in many colors; mostly greens, reds, and some yellows. Most had a border around the edges with dark colors filling in the centers. They have been called the “Jewels of the Garden” because of their emerald greens and garnet and ruby reds.
The coleus gracing today’s gardens are much different than the ones in our grandmother’s gardens. They make the old fashion type almost seem “bland”. Today we have streaked coleus, plants with crinkled or smooth leaves, and leaves that come in single colors or the veins of the leaves might be a different color. Another difference between coleus varieties of the past and modern types are that the leaves from yesteryear never topped 12”. Gardeners of yesterday would be amazed at the varieties that can top 15 to 22 inches and there are some that can reach 4 feet in height. Coleus can be grown anywhere these days. The older types were limited to shade and their colors faded in the sun.
Coleus are natives of Indonesia and Africa. They are annuals (some are biennials) and do not tolerate cold temperatures at all. Some varieties put out a spike of flowers in late summer that can range from white to pink and purple. The flowers aren’t what the plants are grown for, so they can be snipped off so that the energy of the plant goes back into the gem tinted foliage. When you pinch the flower stalks or any of the leaves make sure to pinch them up instead of down. If you pinch down it is possible to remove a little more of the stem skin than desired making it possible for the plant to be damaged. Most of today’s coleus are bred not to flower.
The people of the Victorian Age were very partial to the coleus. It seemed new and exotic to them along with fitting in with the red and gold in the furnishings and wallpapers of the day. They used them as potted plants and as edging in their outdoor gardens. Unfortunately the coleus lost popularity as quickly as it was gained. Apparently the plants cost too much for the nurseries to propagate in frost prone areas. This is surprising because coleus are so easy to grow; in fact, there are over 500 varieties in cultivation today. It is interesting to note that the plant used to be called Coleus blumei, now it is called Solenostemon scutellarioides.
Coleus are most comfortable in daytime temperatures of 75 to 80 degrees and night temperatures over 60 degrees. They prefer well-drained, moist soil with a shot of fertilizer once a month. Check the plant tag to see if you have a variety that will tolerate sun.
You can winter-over coleus by placing them in a sunny window or under grow lights; however, in most cases they will start to wilt. Take a good cutting (or two, or three) and stick it in water until it roots. A little rooting hormone wouldn’t hurt. After rooting, plant in soil and keep on the window sill until summer when you can plant them in a pot or in a garden. Don’t be surprised if you have to take cuttings from your cuttings two or three times during the winter. Having a greenhouse is a definite plus when trying to winter over coleus. If you don’t have one you may find wintering your favorite variety over a challenge.
Varieties are plentiful and some are very unusual:
- ‘Alabama Sun’ combines cranberry, burgundy, pink with golden yellow on the outer edge of new growth.
- ‘Atlas’ has really big scalloped leaves of deep burgundy and edged with light chartreuse. This one grows very tall.
- ‘Big Red’ is just that, deep red in the center with a very slight green edging.
- ‘Black Magic’ has dark purple leaves with edges of bright avocado green.
- ‘Blair’s Witch’ is very unusual. The scalloped leaves are burgundy and purple in the middle with zigzag like edgings of bright green, yellow and red.
- ‘Camilla’ has more muted colors of pastel pinks and reds with darker green at the very center and in the highlights.
- ‘Cantigny Royale’ is very dark maroon in color and grows close to the ground with smaller leaves.
- ‘Careless Love’ is mottled in chartreuse and burgundy in unusual patterns.
- ‘Coal Mine’ has leaves of bright green that are touched with purplish burgundy here and there.
- ‘Defiance’ is a common variety with its red center and wide green-gold edges.
- ‘Flirtin’Skirts’ has tightly scalloped shell-shaped leaves with green in the center and soft yellow at the edge. The ribs of the leaves are raspberry red.
- ‘Fusion’ is bright lime green with purple veining and highlights.
- ‘Glennis’ is another unusual variety with light yellow to chartreuse centers and dark to pink and purple edges (kind of a backwards coleus).
- ‘Inky Fingers’ leaves have finger like form with dark purple centers and avocado green on the edges.
- ‘Kiwi Fern’ is another fingered leaved coleus but the leaves are almost like feathers. They are burgundy with golden rims.
- ‘Rustic Orange’ is different because it isn’t red. Instead it is a definate orange with yellowish green edges.
- ‘Fringed Red’ is another common variety with red leaves tinged with pink veins.
There are hundreds more beautiful coleus from which to pick, making planting time more difficult than it was during olden days. Gardeners in the Victorian era only had to pick from a few varieties, not the hundreds of choices we have today. Whether you plant one variety or many, coleus will stand out as the true jewels of the garden.
