Decorative leaves of Coleus Bloom, which is also known as Solenostemon, looks impressive both in the house and on the terrace. Despite the change in scientific name, this ornamental foliage plant is still known as Bloom's coleus. This perennial plant with colorful, serrated leaves is usually grown as an annual.
Bloom's Coleus belongs to a large family of plants that are naturally found in tropical areas of Africa and Asia. Bloom's Coleus is grown for its colorful leaves, which will become a bright accent in the bright area of your apartment.
There are many hybrids known and they can usually be found on sale without any problems. Such plants do not produce seeds; they are propagated by cuttings. You can easily update the plants you like most by cuttings, then they will delight you for many years.
The houseplant Coleus Bloom is a perennial plant, but it is best to renew it regularly.
An inflorescence of inconspicuous blue and white flowers appears on Bloom's Coleus. It is best to remove buds from the plant as soon as they appear, so that all the plant's energy can be directed toward producing beautiful leaves.
Coleus Bloom quickly reaches 45 centimeters in height. The leaves of this plant are shaped like nettle leaves; they most often have jagged edges. However, there are also varieties with narrow, pointed leaves.
Coleus Bloom quickly loses its attractiveness, stretches upward, and therefore needs regular pinching. Old plants are renewed with cuttings.
Young plants are available for sale in the spring.
Coleus care
Coleus is not only very beautiful, but also grows quickly at home. It is also useful because the leaves contain natural phytoncides that purify and refresh the air.
Temperature
Coleus loves warmth, so it feels best at a temperature of 20 degrees. It will not survive the winter in open ground, so it is grown in the garden as an annual. In an apartment, coleus feels good at a temperature of 16 degrees. Be sure to make sure that even in frost it does not fall below 12 degrees.
Lighting
For coleus to be truly bright and unusual, it needs as much light as possible. Varieties with white, yellow or red leaves tolerate even direct rays well, unlike green and purple ones. If you have south-facing or east-facing windows, choose them.
Watering
For watering, be sure to leave the water for at least a day in a warm place so that it is slightly warmer than the air temperature. In summer, make sure that only the top layer of soil dries out, and in winter, reduce the frequency. But do not allow the coma to dry out completely, otherwise the leaves will react almost instantly and become painful. Coleus loves spraying, because it grows in a hot, humid climate. Even in winter, it is better that the humidity in the room is slightly increased - for example, as in the kitchen or bathroom. For spraying, use the same warm, soft water as for irrigation.
Soil and fertilizer
Coleus is absolutely unpretentious to the type of soil, so any nutrient mixture will do. At the beginning of the period of active growth, use mineral or organic supplements. Add a weakly concentrated solution once a week, and in winter - once a month and at half the concentration.
Reproduction
Coleus propagates equally well by seeds and cuttings, because it grows quickly. At the end of winter, scatter the seeds evenly in a flat box and do not sprinkle on top. Make long distances because they have a very high germination rate. Spray the soil with a spray bottle, set the temperature to 20 degrees and find a brighter place. The seedlings will germinate quickly, so don’t put off picking. If they no longer fit in the container, they may begin to wilt. To ensure that coleus bushes well from the first months, pinch it immediately after transferring it into a separate pot. Coleus cuttings are replanted in spring and summer due to the fact that the flower is very heat-loving. To do this, the branches are cut off at the end of winter and transferred to nutritious flower soil. If you put them in water, hurry up and transplant the cuttings immediately after the roots appear.
Growing coleus in the garden
Sowing seeds
The coleus plant is popular not only because it is beautiful, but also because it is easy to care for. And most importantly, the houseplant coleus can be grown in gardens with no less success. Coleus reproduces well by seed, especially since excellent English and Dutch variety mixtures can easily be found on sale today. It is best to sow coleus at the end of March. You can do this at other times of the year, but then you will have to provide additional artificial lighting for the seedlings in winter or autumn.
You will need fertile but light soil; it is best to use a flat box as a container. Coleus seeds are laid out on the surface of the soil, not in a heap, sprayed with a spray bottle, without covering them, lightly “salted” with sand, covered with glass and placed in a warm, dark place, subsequently maintaining the soil in the greenhouse in a slightly damp state.
The germination rate of purchased seeds is very high, and you can expect that every seed will germinate. This will happen faster than you expect - already on the seventh to tenth day, and as soon as the first shoots appear, remove the glass and move the greenhouse to a bright eastern or western window, protecting the sprouts from direct sunlight. The temperature should now be 17-19 ºC.
In the photo: Coleus / Coleus Honey Crisp
Growing seedlings
At the age of 3-4 weeks, when the seedlings have the first pair of true leaves, they need to be transplanted into special cassettes so that they can develop a strong root system that can not be injured when transplanted into the ground. And when the young coleus are 5-6 weeks old, transplant each into a four-hundred-gram glass and pinch to stimulate tillering.
Planting coleus
Coleus are planted in garden soil only after the final onset of warm days. Choose a brightly lit area for them, but slightly shaded at midday and protected from the wind, dig holes, add fertile water- and breathable substrate into them, and plant coleus bushes from cups in the holes. Planting coleus does not require any special knowledge or skills.
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If you grow it as an annual, even more so. And even if you plan to make a perennial out of it, then, firstly, you are unlikely to succeed - in two or three years you will still have to grow a new coleus from seeds or cuttings, and secondly, you will have to winter it dig it up and bring it into the house so that it can be planted in the ground again in the spring. Therefore, just plant coleus bushes at a short distance from each other and do not forget to water them after planting.
In the photo: Beautiful coleus leaves
Coleus care
Caring for coleus primarily involves abundant watering, especially in dry summer conditions. It is advisable to water with settled water, for which it is a good idea to have a barrel or tub in the garden in which tap water will settle or rainwater will accumulate. Loosen the soil after watering and remove weeds. Two or three times a summer, lightly trim your handsome man to make him bushier.
In the photo: Coleus in open ground
During the period of active growth, fertilizing should be done weekly with fertilizers with a high nitrogen content in order to stimulate leaf growth and not provoke early flowering. When flowering does occur, immediately remove the flower stalks so that they do not take away the strength of the coleus. That's all the wisdom. As you can see, growing coleus in the garden is not difficult.
How to propagate a culture - ways
Sooner or later, coleus will have to be propagated, as the bush will grow large and lose its decorative appearance. There are two ways in which the plant is propagated:
Cuttings - cutting off the tops and rooting them in a new pot.
Seed method.
How to cut a flower:
Cut off the apical shoots with leaves about 12 cm long.
Trim the bottom plates so that 6 cm is per shoot.
Place in water with a growth stimulator or stick into a peat-sand mixture.
After 1 - 2 weeks, roots appear - the cutting is ready for planting in good soil.
The question is when to plant coleus seedlings when growing from seeds: it is best to do this in the spring. The seeds have high germination even 3 years after collection. To grow seedlings, you need to organize a greenhouse, covering it with film.
When the leaves appear, the seedlings can begin to be fed with nitrogenous substances for growth. Typically, decorative specimens are obtained from your own grown seedlings by further cuttings. That is, first the seedling grows, then it is cut to get bright flowers.
Reproduction
Coleus can be propagated from cuttings or grown from seeds.
When preparing seedlings yourself, you should remember that herbaceous cuttings are collected from mother plants that have overwintered, preferably in a greenhouse (lots of light) with a temperature of 15-18 °C. An increase in temperature in February-March to 20-23°C stimulates the growth of new shoots. The secret to quick rooting is to cut the apical cuttings in the middle of the internode. Since the plant is cut just above the node, you need to cut the lower part, it should not be less than a centimeter below the node. Root in the mixture 70% perlite, the rest is peat. Given the looseness of the substrate, it is recommended to plant in one container. Only after the roots appear, remove them by pouring the substrate out of the container and place the cuttings with intact roots in pots. Rooting in perlite has an advantage compared to rooting in water - plants do not need to adapt from the aquatic environment to the soil environment, it lasts several days, unprotected plants die easily. After hardening, coleus are planted in beds, flower beds or containers in the second half of May. Coleus tend to branch; pinching cuttings or seedlings enhances the process.
Growing coleus from seeds
It is not difficult to obtain unusually attractive coleus plants from seeds. Self-collected or purchased seeds produce a high percentage of seedlings, and young seedlings grow well.
Still, when growing coleus from seeds at home, several factors need to be taken into account.
Plants are quite light-loving and develop in consistently warm air. Therefore, to obtain strong, healthy seedlings, sowing is carried out in early spring, when daylight hours begin to increase. In this case, the seedlings are guaranteed not to be weak and elongated due to lack of sun, and their development occurs noticeably faster than in autumn or winter.
To grow coleus from seeds, you will need shallow containers with pre-made drainage holes. For sowing, take a light, very loose substrate with a high nutrient content. An example of such soil is a mixture of humus, sand, peat and crushed sphagnum. Backfilling is carried out almost without compacting the soil so that about 1.5–2 cm remains from the soil to the edge of the container.
Now you can proceed to sowing:
- Coleus seeds are very small, so they are not embedded in the soil, but only distributed evenly over its surface.
- Moisten the top of the planting with a spray bottle. This must be done extremely carefully, since even a stream of water can bury the seeds or lead to their crowding.
- The container is placed in a window greenhouse or placed under film.
When the seeds intended for growing coleus are placed in a nutritious, moist substrate, they require warmth and light. Therefore, the container should be immediately placed on a bright windowsill or artificial lighting should be provided for sowing. The optimal temperature for coleus is 22 – 24 °C.
Pest and disease control
If the leaves of indoor coleus begin to suddenly lose color, most likely they are not getting enough sun. But there is also the opposite problem: unexpected white spots can turn out to be burns. This happens more often with young, vulnerable plants that are not yet accustomed to their daily routine. Brown spots appear due to a lack of moisture in the air, so do not forget about preventive spraying. Unexpected leaf fall is a sure indicator of nutritional deficiency. And if the flower begins to stretch too high, it needs preventative pinching and additional lighting. Decorative coleus leaves are not very attractive to pests. But sometimes spider mites, whiteflies or aphids appear, so inspect the plants periodically. The affected flower must be urgently isolated from healthy ones and treated with insecticides.
Diseases and pests
Despite the fact that coleus is considered an unpretentious plant, a gardener may encounter the following difficulties when growing it.
- Attack of aphids, spider mites, if detected, it is worth using insecticides.
- The appearance of brown spots. This sign indicates excessive dryness of the air in the room, which should be eliminated immediately.
- The falling of the lower leaves and the loss of brightness of the upper ones indicate a lack of minerals, so nettles should be fertilized regularly.
- Root rot is a consequence of using poor quality soil. To eliminate the problem, it is worth pruning and planting the surviving cuttings.
To grow coleus, a gardener does not need a lot of effort and knowledge. Provided you follow all the rules for caring for the plant, you can become the owner of a beautiful and original flower in a pot or in the garden.
You can find out more about how to replant Coleus with cuttings.
How to plant coleus correctly?
Coleus flower has brightly colored leaves and compact size only when it receives enough sunny color. In the same case, when it is planted in the shade, it can turn pale, stretch out and largely lose its decorative qualities. Therefore, this culture is usually placed indoors on window sills facing south and east. However, coleus also do not like too much exposure to the sun, so they will need to be shaded during the afternoon.
If you have free balconies or terraces, you can place plants on them. There they receive a large amount of fresh air and are reliably protected from negative environmental factors. In this case, for planting it is necessary to choose spacious flower pots with a depth of 15 cm. They must have a drainage layer, as well as a drain hole. The soil for coleus should not only be light and loose, but also fertile with a slightly acidic or neutral pH. For example, in this case, you can use a soil mixture consisting of one part coarse sand and peat, and two parts compost.
Since coleus requires a lot of diffused lighting, it is better to grow it on a windowsill
In the summer, it will be good to take coleus plants out into the fresh air, which will accelerate their growth.
As for the propagation of coleus, this procedure is very simple due to the unpretentiousness of this plant. So, to prepare a large amount of planting material, it will be easiest for you to resort to growing cuttings. To do this, it will be necessary to prepare them in the summer or spring. This procedure is performed by cutting off young shoots that have reached a size of approximately ten centimeters.
Coleus propagate well by cuttings
Pre-prepared cuttings will need to be rooted in the ground or in wet sand. If this is not possible, you can put them in ordinary water, but the lower part of the cutting will need to be freed from the leaves. Typically, coleus are first planted in a pot, then covered with polyethylene. The seedling is slightly shaded and left to take root at a temperature of 18-20 ° C, after which the plant will need to be planted in its place of permanent growth.
If you decide to grow this representative of the flora from seeds, be prepared for the fact that adult plants will have unpredictable colors. In this case, the seed material is sown in March-April in boxes under glass. After 18 days, shoots should appear.
After planting coleus seeds, it is necessary to cover them with film, plastic or glass to ensure a microclimate
After the coleus seedlings grow a little, they need to be planted
So, the same dive will need to be carried out when the plants reach a height of ten centimeters. As a result, by summer powerful coleus bushes should have formed, which can later be transplanted into open ground, a container, or any other permanent place.
Coleus at home
Growing on a windowsill
Indoor coleus, like garden coleus, is propagated by seeds and cuttings. Propagation of indoor coleus by seeds occurs in the same way as garden ones: the seeds are sown, and when shoots appear, they are planted into cassettes, and during the second planting the seedling is planted in a permanent pot. Everything is simple, and almost the same as with seed propagation of garden coleus. And now we will tell you how to grow coleus from cuttings.
In the photo: Coleus / Coleus Henna
Growing coleus from cuttings
When you cut the coleus, you are left with cuttings that you can use for cuttings. The stalk should be about 10 cm long. You need to remove the leaves from its lower part and stick it into damp soil or sand, cover it with polyethylene or a plastic bottle and keep it in the shade at a temperature of 18-20 ºC. The roots will appear in 8-10 days, and you can immediately transplant the cutting to a permanent place. This type of propagation is as simple as it is reliable.
Home care
There are no difficulties in this matter either: abundant watering with settled soft water at room temperature, especially in the spring and summer, is the most important point. Indoor coleus also needs to be fertilized weekly in spring and summer with complex fertilizer at half the dose specified by the manufacturer. In winter, fertilize coleus once a month.
In the photo: Coleus / Coleus Magilla Perilla
In the warm season, regular spraying of the plant is desirable, but not in the sun, but in the shade, and in winter, in a heated room, it is better to maintain air humidity in another way - keeping a pot of coleus on a tray with wet expanded clay. Be sure to remove the buds that appear if your coleus is not an ornamental flowering plant, so that the development of flowers does not take away the strength of the plant.
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During the period of active growth, coleus will have to be pinched more than once, stimulating branching, and after rest, before the new season, you need to cut off all shoots at a height of 5-7 cm in order to rejuvenate the plant. Experienced flower growers, just in case, plant cuttings obtained during pruning for rooting - in case last year’s coleus does not live up to expectations and still loses its decorative effect.
In the photo: Growing coleus in a flower bed
Diseases and their treatment
If you pinch or trim a young plant at the wrong time, its shoots can become very elongated. The same thing happens if your coleus is old or if the young plant is dark. If the light is too bright, the color of the leaves becomes pale and discolored. If there is insufficient watering, the plant loses its leaves; if it is over-watered, the leaves will also fall off.
Among the pests that are dangerous to coleus are aphids, spider mites and whiteflies. Aphids feed on plant sap, causing damaged leaves to turn yellow and shrink, and are carriers of diseases. It’s easy to combat: you need to treat the above-ground parts of indoor coleus with a soap solution, and if some of the pests survive, then the treatment needs to be repeated after a week. Before manipulating, do not forget to cover the soil in the pot with film so that soap does not get into it.
With garden coleus, such a “detailed” method is too labor-intensive, so you will have to use insecticides. Actellik and Fitoverm have proven themselves to be good in the fight against aphids. You cannot use soap to remove ticks, so we recommend Oberon, Apollo, Agravertin or Akarin. Whiteflies can be destroyed with the same drugs as aphids: Actellik, Aktara, Oberon, etc.
In the photo: Coleus tricolor / Coleus Tricolor
But the use of insecticides does not add health to the plants, so as a preventive measure, follow simple rules for caring for coleus, and such troubles as diseases and pests will bypass you.
Types and varieties of hybrid coleus with photos and names
Coleus is valued for its unusually bright leaves: pink, burgundy, and gold. Hybrid varieties of this plant have leaves of different original shapes, with wavy and fringed edges. Coleus is used to create complex flower beds in combination with other crops. It is also used for decorative decoration of balconies and external facades of buildings. In this case, the plant is planted in large vases.
Hybrid coleus comes in short and tall varieties, with the latter most often grown indoors. Coleus is propagated both vegetatively and by seeds. Most often, both methods are used. First, in January–March, seeds are sown for seedlings. From the emerging seedlings, the most decorative forms of plants are selected, which are then propagated vegetatively.
The most decorative are the hybrid coleus: Yulke (dark red leaves), Gero (dark purple leaves) and Verschaffelti (dark red leaves with a green border).
Modern gardeners have developed new varieties of coleus: Superfine Rainbow, Masterblends Rainbow, Wizart, GiantLeaf, Dragon Sunset and Vulcano Mixt.
The most decorative varieties are considered Red Velvet, Somon Lace, Rosewood, Northern Lights.
Bloom's Coleus (Coleus blumei Benth.). Family Lamiaceae. Homeland - tropical Asia. Shrubby decorative deciduous plant.
Look at the photo - indoor coleus flowers of this variety have ribbed, tetrahedral stems; leaves are ovoid, pointed:
Numerous varieties have leaves of different colors: dark red, almost black, brown-yellow. There are emerald-colored leaves combined with yellow or red spots. The flowers are collected in small clusters, inconspicuous, lilac-lilac. Photophilous and thermophilic. In winter, at low temperatures, it sheds its leaves, often rots and dies. When there is insufficient light, the leaves lose their bright color.
In winter, coleus do not grow and are relatively dormant, so watering should be moderate - do not allow it to dry out. Coleus is planted in a light nutrient mixture composed of turf, leaves, humus soil and sand (4: 3: 2: 1).
Bloom's coleus can be used to decorate rooms and other interiors, for the external decoration of balconies and windows.
How to care
— The soil is suitable for universal use for indoor or garden plants. the soil should be light and nutritious. You can prepare this mixture yourself: use turf, peat and leaf soil and sand (1:1:1:1), in equal parts.
— Planting is carried out in previously prepared containers or pots; place a layer of drainage on the bottom of the container and pour a small amount of soil. Next, set the coleus in the required proportion and add soil. Afterwards, be sure to water thoroughly and, if necessary, top up the soil. After watering, the soil may settle, exposing the root system.
— Transplantation is carried out in the spring if it is necessary to update the composition or add other varieties of Coleus Bloom. Carefully remove the plant from the pot, shake off excess soil, remove rotten and damaged roots. And carefully plant it in a larger pot.
Where is the best place to put it?
Coleus is perfect for enlivening space in the southern and southeastern parts of the room.
It will not only add a note of novelty and freshness, but will also serve to stimulate energy flows in the corners of the room. An excellent location for the plant is the bedroom. Coleus will not only relieve unpleasant thoughts, but also improve the sleep of its owners. Its strong and pure energy can have a positive impact on the intimate side of the life of a married couple.
Fire nettle in the hallway is a protective barrier against guests with evil thoughts. It acts as an indicator of envy and hatred. Evidence of bad intentions will be the drooping leaves of the plant in a matter of minutes.
Coleus is an amazing plant that carries positive energy, overshadowed by the negativity of superstition. Therefore, it is better to grow a flower in an office or garden. But, no matter where it is, you should know: nettle belongs to the category of vindictive and vindictive plants. She does not forgive indifferent attitude and poor care.
Coleus propagation
Coleus is propagated in open ground in 3 ways:
- seeds;
- seedlings;
- cuttings.
Coleus seed propagation
Coleus seeds
It is better to purchase seeds in a licensed store or shopping centers.
Coleus is a southern, heat-loving plant that dies already at +12°C. For seedlings to appear, the temperature must not be lower than +20..+24°C. Coleus plants, when properly cared for, quickly grow leaf cover. Plants require fairly high temperatures for rapid growth and development. Therefore, seed propagation is rarely used and only in fairly warm southern regions. The most common is planting in open ground through seedlings.
Growing seedlings
Coleus seeds are small, reminiscent of poppy seeds, so sowing is carried out in specially prepared cassettes with a light, water- and breathable, nutritious substrate. Sowing period - March, April. The time for sowing seedlings is linked to the onset of constant warm weather in the region (not lower than +19..+20°C).
Soil preparation
For sowing, you can buy ready-made soil or create a soil mixture yourself. The acidity of the substrate is neutral, pH+6-7 units. For the substrate use:
- 4 parts leaf soil;
- 2 parts turf or fine mature humus;
- 1 part sand or perlite, vermiculite.
Sowing
The prepared soil is moistened and left to mature for 2-3 days (slightly damp and crumbly to the touch). The seeds are laid out on a flat surface and sprinkled with sand or fine substrate in a layer of no more than 3-4 mm. Spray from a small spray bottle and cover with film. Place the container with the seed in a dark place with a temperature of +20..+25°C. The soil is moistened as necessary. The improvised greenhouse is ventilated daily so that drops of moisture do not clog the crops.
Seedling care
Coleus seedlings
- If the agrotechnical care requirements of coleus are observed, the first shoots of seedlings appear on the 8-10th day.
- During mass shoots, the cover is removed from the container and placed on a windowsill with sufficient but diffused lighting. The temperature is maintained at +17..+20°C.
Coleus shoots from seeds
- By the end of 3-4 weeks, the plants unfurl their first pair of leaves. During this phase, densely sown plants are planted in other containers with sufficient soil level.
- The soil is kept constantly moist. Watering must be done with soft, settled, warm water.
- At 6 weeks from germination (about 10 cm in height), the pickling is planted in separate containers (cups), where it develops before planting.
Coleus seedlings in separate containers
- When transplanting, pinched seedlings are pinched so that the plants do not stretch out, but form a bush-like shape.
- Before watering, you can fertilize with flower fertilizers in half the dose (recommended).
- Seedlings are ready for planting 6-7-8 weeks after mass germination
- If warm weather lingers and the cups are small in volume, the seedlings can be transplanted again into larger containers.
How to propagate
— Coleus Bloom can be propagated in several ways. You can use seed propagation or cuttings.
Seed propagation of Coleus Bloom is done using fresh seeds. Since seeds with an expired shelf life lose their viability. You can collect seeds from your own plant, but then the plant itself will lose its decorative effect and all its energy will be spent on the formation and maturation of the seeds. If you decide to purchase seeds, they should be in plastic bags, as they remain viable longer.
- - Sow Coleus Bloom seeds in late winter or early spring. Sprinkle the seeds with a three-millimeter layer of soil and spray the soil with water.
- — cover the container with seeds with glass or plastic wrap and do not remove it until the seeds germinate. We maintain a constant temperature of 15-20 degrees.
- - remove the glass when leaves appear. We transplant them into separate pots when 2-3 pairs of leaves appear.
Anyone who has grown annual plants for seedlings can easily cope with the seed propagation of Coleus Bloom.
Cuttings are best done in spring or summer. We cut the apical cuttings 8-10 cm long from the plant. The cuttings should have two pairs of leaves. We take cuttings from non-flowering stems. We tear off the lower leaves and plant three cuttings in a small diameter pot. Cover the container with film with holes for ventilation and maintain the temperature at 18 degrees until signs of growth appear. Then we remove the film and monitor the constant moisture of the soil. We transplant young plants into pots with a larger diameter (15-20cm).
Notes
Coleus Blume is suitable for tree shaping
It doesn’t matter whether you start forming with small seedlings or later. You can start with a plant chosen for overwintering to get cuttings for next year
In any case, you need to decide and choose one fairly simple escape. From the old plant, the lower leaves and side shoots are simply removed to the required height, selecting the cuttings used for seedlings, the lower leaves are removed from the cuttings, and, if necessary, transplanted into a larger pot. When forming an older plant, like seedlings, a bamboo stick is installed, placing the support closer to the trunk. For an older plant, we attach the support moderately loosely, in several places, around the seedlings, as the shoot grows, systematically removing the lower leaves, possibly side shoots.
When the coleus grows to a height of 80-90 cm, it is necessary to either replant it or place the pot in a large container to maintain balance. Leave the trunk height at about 60 cm, constantly cutting off the gradually growing shoots. Then all side shoots and the main shoot are cut off. Emerging shoots are cut off again behind the second pair of leaves. The shoots do not grow too evenly; they are pruned to maintain the shape of the tree crown. During the entire time, everything is removed from the trunk, up to complete woodiness. A formed tree can live for several years under favorable storage conditions, or in February-March you can choose another specimen for formation.
Features of cultivation
Coleus comes from the tropics and does not tolerate frost.
Therefore, in the fall, before frost, its shoots are cut in half and rooted in water for subsequent maintenance indoors. We do not throw away the cut mother plant, but replant it in a pot so that after winter we can take cuttings from it again in April. As a rule, mother plants are not used in the design of flower beds in the 2nd year. Coleus is moisture-loving and needs regular watering. Shade-tolerant, grows best in partial shade on light, fertile, loose soils. It responds well to fertilizing with a complete complex fertilizer. For plants in flowerpots, pots, containers, they are carried out every 2 weeks. Vigorous varieties must be pinched to maintain compactness. When planting in early June in open ground, maintain a distance between plants of 25-30 cm.
Coleus care
Temperature:
in summer it is ordinary, indoor, although in general, coleus prefers a moderate temperature range from 18 to 22°C; the hotter the weather in summer and the dryer the air, the faster the coleus grows and elongates. Because of the heat, the leaves at the bottom of the stems quickly dry out and fly off, and the plant loses its decorative appeal. In winter, the temperature is preferably cool, around 15°C, i.e. such that there is no plant growth. Winter minimum 10°C.
Lighting:
Coleus is light-loving; bright leaf color is possible only in good lighting. Requires bright diffused light, with shading from direct sunlight in the summer during the hottest hours of the day. Ideally, direct sun should hit the plant in the morning before 11 a.m. or in the evening after 3-4 p.m. These are windows with east or west (northwest) orientation. You can place Solenostemon on a south window, but under shade. And here it is not so much the direct sun that is dangerous as the heat - on southern and western windows the temperature rises above 40°C. Therefore, on hot days it is better to move the plant to a cooler place.
Watering:
In summer, coleus is watered abundantly; due to dryness, the leaves droop and then dry out. Therefore, the soil in the depths of the pot, where the bulk of the fibrous roots are, should be slightly moist all the time, but the top layer of soil should have time to dry out before the next watering. In autumn and winter, watering is reduced, its frequency depends on the temperature, but the soil should dry out in the upper half of the pot.
Fertilizers:
Coleus is regularly fed with fertilizers from March to September, once a week - ten days. You can alternate mineral fertilizers with organic ones (preferably based on horse manure). By the way, despite the fact that Coleus is an ornamental deciduous plant, the color of the leaves is richer and brighter if it is fed with fertilizer for flowering plants (fertika-lux, uniflor-bud, pokon for flowering, etc.).
Air humidity:
Coleus loves moist air, but does not need spraying during the growing season. Only dry air in a warm room in winter is harmful to the plant, therefore, if Solenostemon overwinters in a room, it must be isolated from the directed warm air of the battery.
Transfer:
annually in the spring. Soil - any nutrient mixture, coleus is not picky about the composition of the soil, acidity from slightly acidic to neutral, but not alkaline. You can take 3 parts of garden soil, add 1 part of well-rotted compost and 1/2 part each of sand and vermiculite. It is necessary to pour drainage (for example, large expanded clay or polystyrene foam) into the bottom of the pot or container. If the soil has become too compacted from watering, loosen the soil periodically.
Solenostemon is a fast-growing plant, but its disadvantage is that it also grows quickly and ages. The stem becomes lignified, first of all, in the lower part, gradually becomes bare, and the plant loses its attractiveness. Abundant flowering also contributes to this - it depletes the plant. Since the flowers are not at all attractive, it is better to break off the flower stalks immediately.
Solenostemon is a perennial plant, but one bush is usually not grown for more than two years - this is impractical (only young bushes are beautiful). Of course, you can radically cut off the old coleus in the spring, and young shoots will form stumps, but in this case, when replanting, the trunk must be buried a little into the ground, and the lower part of the root ball must be cut off.
How to water
- Watering in summer should be plentiful, the soil in the pot should be evenly moist. However, we do not allow moisture to stagnate in the soil. In winter, watering the plant should be more economical; we water the coleus so as to prevent the soil from drying out.
— Feeding is done from June to September once a week. You can use a universal complex fertilizer. Liquid is better, as it can be used when watering the plant.
Brief description of Coleus
From a biological point of view, the Coleus plant is a shrub and belongs to the Lamiaceae family. Its distinctive feature is the presence of tetrahedral stems, as well as opposite broad-oval leaves, along the edges of which there are teeth. The tropical regions of Asia and Africa are considered the homeland of Coleus.
Coleus shoot structure
In appearance, this shrub is very similar to another plant - Croton, which is why it is sometimes called poor man's Croton. As for its color, among the existing varieties, most plants have patterned velvety leaves in light green, deep red, brown, dark purple and white. Veins on the foliage, darker in color, create original images on the leaves of plants in the style of African primitive art.
Today there are more than 150 varieties and varieties of coleus, and they include both annual herbaceous plants and evergreen subshrubs. All coleus leaves have different colors; they can be patterned or opposite. Of these, Coleus bloome is the most widely used in landscape design and interior design.
The island of Java is the birthplace of coleus
There is a wide variety of coleus plants
The island of Java is considered the homeland of Coleus, and it was on the basis of specimens taken from there that the variety of hybrids of this Coleus that exists today was created. The average height of this shrub is 30-40 centimeters. Moreover, most forms of this plant have leaves that resemble nettle foliage in appearance. They have folded or wavy edges, and their plate itself is corrugated. Both single-color and multi-colored hybrids of Coleus bloome are common in everyday life.
Currently, the varieties Colosseus nanus and Laciniatus have become actively used for home cultivation. They are quite rare and are propagated by cuttings. They are distinguished by the extraordinary beauty of their leaves. If you want to grow carpet varieties, then you should purchase planting material of the Gero and Yulyuke varieties.
Most species of these tropical plants, due to their unpretentiousness, get along well in the middle zone, and they are grown both indoors and outdoors. For example, a pot of coleus can be placed on a terrace, balcony or windowsill. In open soil they are used both for independent cultivation and for creating landscape design compositions.
Botanical certificate
Coleus Blume, or Solenostemon scutellarioides, syn. Coleus blumei var. verschaffeltii) is a herbaceous perennial plant from the family Lamiaceae or Lamiaceae, grown in open ground as an annual ornamental foliage, with 4-angled stems, height and width up to 60 cm. The leaves are ovate, serrated along the edge, up to 15 cm long, in a wide variety of colors, with or without a pattern. The flowers are small, 1.5 cm long, bluish, white, collected in a spike-shaped inflorescence, up to 15 cm long; bloom at any time of the year. To preserve the decorative appearance of the plant, the inflorescences are removed.
Reproduction methods
Coleus Blume is a type of plant that can be easily grown from seeds. You can buy them in a specialized store. Sowing of coleus should be done in March, as there is a large amount of sunlight at this time. The container with the material sown in it must be placed on a sunny windowsill.
Sow nettles in a flat oblong container, the soil should be moist. After sowing is completed, it is worth covering the container with film, thus creating a greenhouse effect. The florist must remember that the distance between seeds must be at least 5 cm.
If there is not enough time to propagate Blume by seeds, you can use another method. Propagation by cuttings is carried out by placing the plant in a pot filled with substrate and then transferring it to a warm room. To increase the speed of rooting, it is worth covering containers with cuttings with film.
Ready cuttings can also be placed in a glass of water, waiting for roots to appear. When the young coleus is ready to take root, it should be transplanted into the soil. If you want to get a lush planting, you can plant several cuttings in one pot. This way, gardeners get a mixture of colorful leaves in one container.
Coleus Blume - indoor flower with variegated leaves, care at home
Coleus combine beauty, rapid growth, hardiness and ease of care, as well as the ability to grow them both indoors and outdoors.
Description of types and varieties of coleus, care without any tricks. The hybrid Coleus Bloom (C. Hybrida) with its countless decorative forms and varieties has received particular recognition.
Brightly colored or plain, burgundy, brown, bright (new color combinations every time) with a slightly noticeable green edging become the best memory of the rainbow colors of summer.
The genus name “Coleus” comes from the Greek “koleos” - “case”, popularly nicknamed “nettle”.
We follow simple rules for caring for coleus
For the coleus flower, despite the fact that it is necessary not to forget that they come from the tropics, based on this they are fully disposed to warmth, moisture and good lighting.
This species is a subshrub reaching a height of 80 cm, and it is possible to grow a coleus flower from a small cutting in just six months. It is enough just to pick up a huge pot, select a sunny place and systematically water it. In summer, the pot can be taken outside, but the plant will survive the winter only in warmth.
In addition, a child can provide a minimum of care for coleus, so if you like this flower, feel free to give it a place in your home and in your heart.
It is noteworthy that the color of the leaves greatly depends on the amount of sunlight. For example, in addition, being on the windowsill in winter, the flower will become less striking, and the width of the green edging on the leaves will increase. But you shouldn’t be afraid of this, because when the sunny spring comes, the riot of burgundy colors will come into force again.
If you want the flower to look summery even in cold weather, then you need to give the plant the brightest place on the southern windowsills. In the summer, intense rays can leave burns on the pages, so it is better to place the coleus in a dark place, or, for example, under a tree.
— Watering and humidity.
Coleus needs moist air space to thrive. A flower pot can be placed in a tray with moss or expanded clay and sprayed more often. Water only with soft, settled water and plenty of steam (at high temperatures) to avoid leaf falling.
An ideal ambient temperature is 18-23°C. At a lower temperature (below 16°), the plant may lose its leaves, and suddenly the soil becomes waterlogged - it may even lose it altogether.
— As for fertilizers...
The coleus flower lacks nutrition only in spring and summer. All-purpose and alkaline fertilizer will do. Upon completion of the transplantation, fertilizing begins a month later, since the soil already contains the necessary microelements. If necessary, in winter the concentration of the solution is reduced by half, fertilizing once every thirty days (or not fertilizing at all).
It is better to use potassium that contain solutions with a concentration of 0.3-0.5 grams per liter of water. The more nitrogen the fertilizer contains, the less pronounced the pattern on the pages and the “greener” they are. From time to time, it is also recommended to crumble a little laundry soap into water and water it once every thirty days.
— How does coleus bloom?
During flowering, the plant produces a small branch with small purple flowers, which do not have any special aesthetic qualities. But, in the future, coleus flowers produce barely noticeable seeds, which can also be used for propagation.
Inconspicuous flowers will seem out of place against the backdrop of incredibly beautiful, brightly colored leaves. So that the plant does not become exhausted from flowering, and the leaves do not lose their decorative effect, the peduncle must be removed.
— Trimming and pinching.
For the most beautiful shape, it is recommended to pinch the coleus, otherwise it will stretch, and the beautiful tops will be scattered on “bare” unremarkable branches. Replant in the spring after trimming the stems.
An overgrown bush is cut off almost at the root, leaving 1-2 nodes on each shoot. In summer they are placed on the balcony or any well-lit place (possibly taken out into the garden). It grows almost instantly.
With good care and maintenance, the leaves of the coleus flower will be striking and the bushes will be compact.
Despite unpretentiousness, care mistakes happen
- The leaves become smaller and pale, turn yellow and fall off - low lighting level.
- With excessive sunlight, on the contrary, the foliage becomes discolored.
- Falling leaves can occur due to insufficient watering or, on the contrary, from excess liquid.
- Growth slows, leaves turn yellow, but do not wither - lacks nutrition.
- Brown spots along the edges and tips, leaves dry out due to dry air - increase humidity.
- Rotting of stems, stagnation of water in the soil - reduce the frequency of watering.
- Coleus plants that are hypersensitive to cold may not survive the winter due to negligence in care. At low temperatures, the leaves become soft and droop.
- By not caring for coleus correctly, you can end up with a stretched plant. At the bottom of the bush the stems are exposed. The circumstance is insufficient lighting. In this case, go prune the plant and provide care.
- If coleus is kept too warm and dry in the winter, it is affected by spider mites. Bugs, whiteflies, and aphids can cause problems.
- When attacked by insect pests, the leaves become deformed and the bush itself declines. First you need to get rid of the affected areas, then treat them with insecticides: Aktara, Fitoverm, etc.
Options for propagation and rooting of coleus
If you take good care of your indoor flower, pinch and prune it in a timely manner, the bush can be preserved next year. Much more often this is an annual plant, grown for a year, after which it is renewed by cuttings or seeds.
Propagation is carried out mainly by cuttings in March-April, which are rooted in water or directly in the soil. In a few weeks they take root, after which they are planted in a prepared substrate. This way it is possible to preserve useful varieties.
Coleus is easily propagated by seeds, which are purchased at any flower shops. Sowing is done with very small seeds on the wet surface of the ground, without covering it with soil, in February or early March. At first, they are kept in a greenhouse, covering the seedlings with glass or transparent film. To obtain high-quality seedlings, do double picking and pinching.
The upcoming care of coleus seedlings for uniqueness is simple, not forgetting to water them in a timely manner. As the leaves grow, they take on new colors, slowly bringing them to perfection.
When grown at home, two types of flowers are used. Coleus Blumei (blumei) - the species includes a large number of hybrid varieties. Coleus Verschaffeltii is similar to Blume, only it has larger leaves.
Based on these species, hybrid varieties have been taken and continue to be used for new cultivars; at the moment there are about 200 of them, grouped into series for convenience. Seed mixtures are available for sale.
“Wizard” - the series includes: “Velvet Red” (red with pink streaks),
- "Golden" (yellow-green leaves),
- "Scarlet" (red with creamy yellow edging),
- "Sunset" (solid orange leaf plates),
- "Coral Sunrise" (variegated green with brown and pink).
- “Dark Dragon” is a flower with ruffled and fringed pages of a rich dark red-violet hue, grows up to 30 cm. The second name of this flower is “Velvet of the Night”.
- “Rainbow” - this series belongs to an almost dark flower.
And: "Rainbow", "Weasley". There are ampelous coleuses with beautiful brown-red pages, a greenish border and blue flowers. Very impressive of them are dwarf and “Renelta”.
In general, caring for any variety of coleus will not be difficult. Basic home care involves moderate watering and humidity, keeping them in a lighted place (see above).
This is quite interesting! Some people who tried to chew the fresh leaf or brew it in tea reported a hallucinogenic result. But there was no scientific confirmation of this. Scientists conducted many experiments and learned that the so-called psychoactive and relaxing effects of coleus, which some respondents spoke about, were just a placebo.
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general information
The colloquial name for coleus, which it received for the expressive shape of its leaves, is weed. In the apartment the flower grows like an unpretentious perennial, but in the garden it will not survive the winter. And all because in nature it lives in Africa and Asia - regions with hot climates and the absence of frost. Coleus was brought to Europe on purpose and they immediately began to breed it. The first wild species amazed sailors so much that they brought them straight from the island of Java. So, since the nineteenth century, the popularity of the flower in the world has grown rapidly.
Coleus leaves can be the most unexpected colors: orange, red, burgundy. Most often, they combine several shades at once: for example, grassy green with purple. Together with the unusual shape of the plates, this looks very impressive and exotic! Although this does not worry flower growers too much, coleus has flowers. They are just small, faded and inconspicuous, whitish or blue. They are not particularly attractive, so it is better to remove the buds at the bud, otherwise they will draw almost all the nutrients onto themselves. Because of this, during flowering, the coleus leaves become smaller and fade.
