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Coleus

4.4 out of 5 (107 experiences)

Fast grower

Survivor

Also known as

Painted Nettle, Plectranthus scutellarioides, Solenostemon scutellarioides, Coleus bluemei, Kiwi Fern Plant, Rodeo drive coleus, Le Freak, Colorblaze Sedona Susnset and Colorblaze Sedona Susnet

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Coleus scutellarioides

Genus

Coleus

Family

Lamiaceae

Order

Lamiales

How to care for Coleus

💦 Water

How often to water your Coleus

Coleus needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Coleus in your home

Coleus may have difficulty thriving, and will drop leaves 🍃, without ample sunlight.

Place it less than 3 feet from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Coleus in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Coleus

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Coleus: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Coleus after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Browse #Coleus

💡 FAQs

⭐ Difficulty Level

Coleus is generally easy to care for, though some plant parents report facing challenges with growing it. Check out the reviews down below to read more about their experiences!

How to Grow Coleus →

Benefits of Growing Coleus →

Common Coleus Problems →

Indoor Care Guide for Coleus →

Outdoor Care Guide for Coleus →

💦 Water Needs

Coleus prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Coleus Water Frequency →

Coleus Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Coleus may have difficulty thriving and will drop leaves 🍃 without ample sunlight. Place it less than 3 feet from a window to maximize the potential for growth. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Coleus Light Requirements →

Coleus Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Coleus is extremely dangerous if consumed. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian immediately. Coleus is not recommended for homes with children, cats, or dogs.

Is Coleus Edible? →

Coleus Toxicity to Cats →

Coleus Toxicity to Dogs →

Coleus Toxicity to Humans →

💨 Humidity

Coleus doesn’t require additional humidity. Plants absorb most water through their root system rather than their leaves, so the best way to provide humidity for your plants is through watering the soil.

Coleus Humidity Needs →

🪴 Soil

Coleus does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Coleus →

Best Pots for Coleus →

When and How to Successfully Repot Coleus →

What Are Healthy Coleus Roots →

💩 Fertilizer

Coleus should be repotted after it doubles in size or once a year, whichever comes first. Fresh potting soil has all the nutrients your plant needs, so as long as it’s refreshed yearly, you shouldn’t need to use fertilizer. Remember, plants get their energy from sunlight, not fertilizer!

How Much and When to Fertilize Coleus →

🌎 Native Region

Coleus is native to Old World Tropics and Subtropics.

🌸 Flowers

Yes, you may see your Coleus bloom with the right amount of sunlight and water.

Coleus Flowers →

Is Coleus an Annual Plant? →

Is Coleus a Perennial Plant? →

Coleus Pollination Guide →

Common Coleus Flower Problems →

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Coleus grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.

Coleus Lifecycle →

Coleus Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Coleus →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Coleus can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 10a-11b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Coleus Temperature Tolerance →

Coleus Hardiness Zones →

Landscaping Ideas with Coleus →

When to Plant Coleus →

How to Plant Coleus →

Where to Plant Coleus →

Winter Care for Coleus →

Best Companion Plants for Coleus →

Is Coleus a Weed? →

🌱 Propagation

Coleus can be propagated by the stem method. To propagate:

Make a cut just above the node. The node is the break in the stem where the leaf emerges.
To get the cutting to root, you can either:
- Place the cutting in water until roots emerge and are ~2” long and then transplant into well-draining soil, or
- Place the cutting directly into well-draining soil and water when dry.

How to Propagate Coleus →

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Coleus, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.

Common Bugs Affecting Coleus →

What Eats Coleus? →

Care Summary for Coleus

Coleus

Greg recommends:

Water

0.5 cups every 9 days

Placement

< 3ft from a window

Nutrients

Repot after 2x growth

Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say

Fast grower 72

Survivor 55

Large, lush leaves 50

Easy to propagate 45

Blooms easily 24

Browns easily 10

Pest magnet 2

@@Darren

4 Plants

1,058 XP

Reading, England

12/29/2021

Doesn’t like the cold. Died!

Coleus plant photo by @Darren named Leafy green on Greg, the plant care app.

@@boki

107 Plants

3,626 XP

San Juan, Metro Manila

11/16/2021

Hard to kill this plant. Its not too fond of direct sunlight and will droop when its too hot from sunrays.
So easy to propagate by cuttings. Make a cut below a node with 6-8 leaves. Remove leaves from lower nodes leaving 4 leaves (can be more but probably best to trim some of the leaves in half so that the propagation doesnt struggle much to survive) Add rooting hormone (optional) to nodes then stick it in soil. Moisten soil with water and place in shaded area (direct sunlight stressed the plant). Wait for a week for plant to root then its good to go.
Some coleus can grow leaves up to 12 inches… prob more if i transferred it to a bigger pot or planted it directly to soil.

Fast grower

Easy to propagate

Survivor

Blooms easily

Coleus plant photo by @boki named Mayana 2 on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Rat__teeth

20 Plants

1,816 XP

11/11/2021

Such a pretty plant! and has very interesting leaves ☺️ I love her <3

Fast grower

Large, lush leaves

Survivor

Coleus plant photo by @Rat__teeth named Mochi on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Sundust

21 Plants

1,545 XP

10/25/2021

Great plant, just a little touchy. But easy to recover.

Survivor

Browns easily

Blooms easily

Coleus plant photo by @Sundust named Mosaic on Greg, the plant care app.

@@DivineTreasures

8 Plants

1,895 XP

Lebanon, TN

10/24/2021

Love it

Coleus plant photo by @DivineTreasures named Lani on Greg, the plant care app.

@@JC58

12 Plants

767 XP

10/08/2021

My first time with this plant. It’s on my patio and growing beautifully request little to no attention

Fast grower

Blooms easily

Large, lush leaves

Coleus plant photo by @JC58 named Coleus on Greg, the plant care app.

@@ari_aghovia

5 Plants

123 XP

09/23/2021

Needs alot of watering

Coleus plant photo by @ari_aghovia named Princess on Greg, the plant care app.

@Heather

6 Plants

84 XP

Bristol, England

08/30/2021

Coleus are both indoor and outdoor plants. They’re aesthetically pleasing and hardy. They have soft velvety leaves and come in a variety of spectacular colours.

Fast grower

Large, lush leaves

Survivor

Coleus plant photo by Heather named Coleus Spacecake HarleyQuinn on Greg, the plant care app.

@Jeannie

1 Plants

26 XP

08/28/2021

I don’t know anything about this colius, I would like some information I keep it outside in a hanging basket, I water it but that’s it. If anyone could tell me more about it I’d appreciate it.

Fast grower

Large, lush leaves

Blooms easily

Coleus plant photo by Jeannie named Orlando Bloom on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Cw1234567890

32 Plants

1,253 XP

Sandusky, MI

08/26/2021

Pretty plants

Fast grower

Coleus plant photo by @Cw1234567890 named Kobe on Greg, the plant care app.

@@Charlie_ah

1 Plants

181 XP

08/17/2021

Easy to take care of !

Fast grower

Large, lush leaves

Coleus plant photo by @Charlie_ah named Cole on Greg, the plant care app.

@@LVL500

20 Plants

6,019 XP

08/11/2021

I’ve had the Coleus plants for approximately three months. They have grown fast in that time. I love the colourful leaves. Mine are positioned under a south facing roof window. I water and feed weekly.

Fast grower

Large, lush leaves

Coleus plant photo by @LVL500 named Three Amigos on Greg, the plant care app.

@@jaydmurr

29 Plants

3,832 XP

South Portland, ME

07/23/2021

they're pretty but i dunno, they haven't endeared me like the others have

Fast grower

Large, lush leaves

Easy to propagate

Coleus plant photo by @jaydmurr named Audrey I on Greg, the plant care app.

@@VntgBlmsTheds

11 Plants

125,773 XP

Oliver Springs, TN

07/21/2021

I grew mine from seeds. My pic of mine are about 7 weeks old. Now they are starting to pickup on growth. It was fun starting them from seeds. Great project for me. I also grew hypoestes from seeds as well.

Fast grower

Large, lush leaves

Survivor