Depending on your USDA growing zone, Coleus can be grown outdoors as an annual or perennial.. You can also grow it as a houseplant or get the best of both worlds by planting it in a container. Keep yours outside for part of the year and bring it inside during severe weather.
Coleus is in the Lamiaceae family, which is the same family as edible herbaceous plants such as mint, rosemary, basil, and lavender. However, some varieties are mildly toxic to both people and pets. For this reason, it is best to treat this plant as ornamental and not edible.
If you want more coleus plants with beautiful foliage, you can easily propagate them. In this article I will show you how! First, let’s learn a little about coleus.
Coleus Plant Overview
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Option 1: Grow from seeds
Your first option is to buy coleus seeds. For half the cost of one coleus plant, you can get over 400 coleus seeds! This can potentially give you 400 coleus plants for less than the price of one.
You can also find coleus seeds as part of a seed mix. Since many species grow well in the shade, they make an excellent companion for scattering among other shade-loving plants. This is a perfect option for gardeners who may have a large tree, building or other structure that creates a shady area where not much else can grow.
When growing coleus plants from seeds, you will have the option of sowing your seeds indoors and transplanting them or sowing your plants directly outdoors. With so many varieties available, this method allows you to grow a wide range of plants with beautiful colors and shapes.
How to grow from seeds
coleus seeds They are very small and benefit from light surface planting. Sprinkle the seeds over your growing medium and cover them lightly with a layer of soil. They need light to germinate, so barely cover them or press them into the soil.
Coleus seeds require temperatures. between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit (21 and 24 degrees Celsius) to germinate. If your seeds start indoors, you can achieve this by using a heat mat. If you start your seeds outdoors, wait until all danger of frost has passed. This method is only worthwhile in areas with a longer growing season. Otherwise, it is best to start growing them indoors at least 8 to 12 weeks before the last frost.
When sowing coleus seeds, use a sterilized seed starting mix or a soilless mix. The seeds don’t need any nutrition until they have germinated, so a soilless mix works well. If it is not available, use high-quality potting soil as it will not cause any damage.
In addition to purchasing seeds, you can also obtain them by letting your coleus plant flower. When the flowers form, let them bloom fully and then die back. After the flowers die and dry, seeds are formed. Open the dried flower head to reveal the tiny seeds of the coleus.
Option 2: Propagation by Cuttings
The most popular and fastest way to propagate a coleus plant is taking a cutting from an existing plant. This is partly because coleus seeds do not always produce true-to-type offspring. A cutting guarantees that you have an exact copy of the mother plant.
Rooting in water
Take a cutting just below a leaf node, remove the bottom leaves, and place it in a glass of water. The cutting will take root in the water. This plant can survive only in water and does not require soil.
If you eventually want to move your plant into the ground, repot it before it develops very large roots. It may be difficult to transplant into soil once the plant has become accustomed to growing in water.
Let some small roots develop, dip them in rooting hormone, and then place the cutting in evenly moist potting soil. keep the ground Moist evenly until new growth appears. This indicates that its rooting has been successful.
Rooting in the ground
Rooting coleus in soil is like rooting in water, except that you will place the cutting directly in the ground. Root hormone can be used here, although it is not necessary since the plants in the Lamiaceae The family is well known for its ability to root easily.
Provide a well-balanced potting mix, not a sterile seed starting mix, as the cuttings benefit from the nutrients. This helps them avoid shock and produce new growth. As mentioned above, once new growth appears, you will know that you have successfully propagated your coleus plant.
Frequently asked questions
Some varieties of coleus are edible, while others are mildly toxic. For this reason, it is best to treat these plants as ornamentals and not edible plants.
The short answer is, Yeah! They can be grown both indoors and outdoors.
Yes, under the right conditions coleus. produces small flower needles.
they are tender perennials in USDA growing zone 11+ and are grown as annuals or houseplants in most of the United States.
Final thoughts
Coleus are beautiful ornamental plants with unique foliage that Add interest to your annual garden or houseplant collection.. There are almost endless varieties to choose from! Now that you know how to propagate coleus plants, you will have an unlimited supply.
