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4.4 out of 5 (107 experiences)


Also known as
Painted Nettle, Plectranthus scutellarioides, Solenostemon scutellarioides and Coleus bluemei
Taxonomy
Coleus scutellarioides
Coleus
Lamiaceae
Lamiales

How to care for Coleus

How often to water your Coleus

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

Check the growing potential in your area
A plant's growing potential is determined from its location, the time of year, and current local weather.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
81% High

Growing Coleus in Philadelphia right now
Plant growth potential is currently very high 📈
May 23rd, 2022
Sunlight intensity as measured by “net radiation” in Philadelphia is currently very high 📈. The plant growth potential in your area is currently at its peak! 🌿
The availability of high quality sun…
Sunlight will increase by 16.5% ☀️
May 21st, 2022
Philadelphia is trending towards greater sunlight intensity!
The amount of sunlight in Philadelphia is expected to increase by 16.5% over the next 2 weeks to an average of 20.2 megajoules of energ…
Daylight will increase by 1.4 hours 📈
May 23rd, 2022
This month, Philadelphia is getting an average of 10.3 hours of clear sky sunlight per day.
Hours of daylight will increase by 10.3% over the next two weeks. Your plants will get 14.7 total hours …
Finding light for Coleus in your home

a window
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 during this time of higher sunlight intensity in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ☀️.️
This is a great time to watch your Coleus thrive 🌿!

How to fertilize Coleus

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.
When to repot Coleus
Is this a good time of year to repot? Yes! 🪴
May 22nd, 2022
The growing potential in Philadelphia is high 📈.
It's best to repot plants during their active growing periods when they have the energy to re-establish their roots! This is a great time to repot …

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!
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.
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 🏡.
Toxicity
Coleus is not safe to consume. 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. If you have children, cats, or dogs in the home, we suggest keeping this plant out of reach.
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.
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!
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!
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.
Growth Pattern
Coleus grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.
Growing Outdoors
USDA Hardiness Zone
Coleus can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 10a-11b. Find your local hardiness zone here.
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.
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!
Care Summary for Coleus
Coleus
Greg recommends:

0.5 cups every 9 days

< 3ft from a window

Repot after 2x growth
Based on your location in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.

What other plant parents say













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.




