Coleus - facts and advice about care

Prayer plant, which naturally grows from Southeast Asia and Oceania to Hawaii, is a big favorite in many homes. The fact that it is easy to care for, beautiful, and grows quickly is probably the main reason for that. This is a perfect plant to start with if you want to cultivate your own plants, as with little effort you can achieve very good results in a short period of time.

The plant requires some care, especially when taking cuttings and planting new ones, but it is at a reasonably easy level.Placement,The plant thrives best when placed in a airy and bright location. The more light it receives, the more vibrant the colors will be. But it should not be kept in direct sunlight for too long - the leaves may become scorched.Soil,You can use flower soil when planting the splash of color. If you give it regular plant fertilizer when watering from spring to fall, you will have a healthy and beautiful potted plant.Watering,Water often, but not too much. The soil should be lightly moist and neither too wet nor too dry.Repotting,The splash of color can grow rapidly at first, so it may need to be repotted after a fairly short period of time. Also remember to keep an eye out for the flowers, as they need to be pinched off as soon as they appear in order for the leaves to retain their color.

Read also: Repotting -how to succeed

In order for the plant to become beautiful and full in shape, it should be topped. This means cutting off the tops at regular intervals. You do this in exactly the same way as when taking cuttings, so if you have one Coleus plant, you can quickly get many more - if you want to. See our step-by-step guide on how to take cuttings of Coleus (painted nettle), where you will also get advice on how to rescue a long, thin, and scruffy painted nettle.

When summer arrives, and the risk of night frost is long gone, you can move the coleus outside. This should be done gradually, as the plant needs time to adjust to both the light and temperature. Hardening off helps the plant acclimatize to its new location. This is especially important when a plant that has been indoors is being moved outside. Place the plant outside for a couple of hours during the day for the first few days, and gradually increase the time it spends outside over a period of two weeks. After these two weeks, the plant should have acclimated to both the light conditions and temperature, and you can then leave it outside overnight as well.

There are a wide variety of Coleus plants, but one variant has long been at the top of the lists of the most popular ones: Coleus 'China Rose'. It is not easy to find Coleus 'China Rose', and for good reason. This stunning pink variant does not produce flowers, it can only be propagated by cuttings, and therefore it is difficult to meet the high demand. If you have such a plant, you probably know many people who would be happy to receive a cutting. And if you manage to get a China Rose cutting, consider yourself lucky. Some examples of Coleus plants include:- 'Royalty', with fringed, velvety leaves with hints of pink in the center.- 'Spacecake' in fresh shades of pink, purple, and green.- 'Fifth Avenue', with green leaves that turn reddish-brown with cherry pink in the center.- 'Alligator Alley', with lime green edges, purple centers, and distinct pink veins.- 'Ruby Road', with strong pink and purple colors and light green, wavy edges.- 'Great Falls Angel', small leaves in four beautiful colors.There are also Coleus plants in shades of wine red, green, and copper, such as:- 'Beale Street', with large, wine red leaves that maintain their color throughout the season.- 'Crown Jewel', with curly, wine red leaves and light green edges.- 'Wall Street', with large, copper to yellow-orange leaves.- 'Bourbon Street', with fringed, velvety reddish-brown leaves with hints of lime green on the outer edges.

Flowers should be pinched off immediately, otherwise the leaves will lose their color.By regularly trimming the plant, you can get a coleus with a more bushy and lush form.Grown for the sake of the leaves, which come in many different colors and patterns.Can be placed both indoors and outdoors during the summer season.

Miriam Gysling, gardener and customer service representative at Plantasjen, with a special interest in houseplants in general and cacti and Philodendron specifically.

More tips & advice: How to take cuttings of Coleus (Solenostemon scutellarioides)