Plush carpets of color are the breathtaking trademarks of coleus. But this isn't your grandmother's flowerbed. Coleus is making a dramatic comeback, with even more color, variety and style. Bruce Blevins tends the coleus at the New York Botanical Garden, where a stunning summer exhibition is America's largest display of coleus under glass.
At one time, the colors of coleus had a very narrow range with just greens and purple splashes. But in the last 10 to 12 years, new patterns and splashes and colorings have been developed through breeding and selecting out plants. Today a new breed of coleus provides an endless array of vibrant color in the heat of summer. The brilliant leaves can be splashed, spotted, edged or striped. Colors range from orange, yellow and green to dark purple, burgundy and red.
Coleus is very easy to maintain and provides easy cuttings. Remember, though, that it's tropical. Native to Indonesia and Africa, coleus doens't like cold soil or temperatures dropping below 60 degrees. And depending on the plant, coleus grows best in sun to partial shade. Because it's an understory plant, it likes to be moist but not saturated. So don't overwater them. Coleus needs good drainage and prefers being watered from below. Heavy rains or watering over the top can damage the plants, which is one reason it does so well in containers.
Another way to get your coleus going is with lots of pinching. Just like with basil plants, you want to keep coleus from flowering. There's a lot of pinching involved at first, especially to get a nice, bushy structure. Also, don't fertilize with anything that would accentuate flowering; use a little bit of time-release fertilizer that's higher in nitrogen and lower in phosphorous. A 20-10-20 fertilizer is much preferred to a 20-20-20 so that it accentuates good structure and lots of leaf growth.
There are literally hundreds of hybrids to choose from. Some plants grow only six inches tall, while others grow up to three feet. But the best part about coleus is the dramatic color combinations you can see. 'India Frills' has nice, variegated edges. The lime coleus has veins that show up quite nicely on its lime green foliage. Another favorite is 'Leopard' coleus, with mottled leaves.
Whatever you choose, just remember that coleus will grow in full sun, but prefers part shade. In fact, the colors are even more vivid in part shade. Tender perennials, these plants will die at the first frost. But you can bring them indoors and protect them all winter long, either by digging them out and putting them in a container, or by taking a stem cutting to get a new plant started. Just cut off one of the stems and remove the leaves. Put it in a lightweight, soilless mixture. Keep it indoors in a lighted location and keep it watered. Within a week or two, it will develop roots. And by next spring, you can take the plant outdoors and enjoy it again.
Guests
Bruce Blevins
New York Botanical Garden
Bronx River Parkway at Fordham Road
Bronx, NY
Phone: 718-817-8700
Website:
www.nybg.org
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