Not many plants can take Louisiana’ssummer sun and the heat like coleus(Coleus x hybridus).

A native of Java and a member of theLabiatae family (stems are square),coleus have become a very popular houseand garden plant prized for their colorfulfoliage. This publication providesinformation on proper care of coleus —from watering and fertilizing to selectingrecommended cultivars.

General Location

Coleus do best where they get sun tolight shade. Colors are more vivid inpartial shade. Many cultivars of coleus arefully sun-tolerant; these are commonlycalled sun coleus. For optimum growth,night temperatures should range between65 and 70 degrees F and day temperaturesbetween 75 to 85 degrees. Coleus willremain hardy until first frost and areadapted for almost all hardiness zones.

Most coleus cultivars have a bushy,round growth form, growing up to 3 feettall. The upright form makes them anexcellent border plant. They can also beused in containers, edging, planter boxes,hanging baskets, bedding or carpet beds,and they’re also great for underplanting.They produce predictable colors that canbe used in combination with other

annuals or grown alone. Trailing growthhabits are also available on some cultivars.

Soil Conditions and Preparation

Plant coleus in a porous, fertile, well-drained loam soil. Keep the soil barelymoist at all times. They grow best in a soilpH of 6.5 or lower. Any soil suitable forbedding plants is ideal. If the soil has a claytexture, adding some sand or coarse barkmay help. Prepare the beds a few weeksbefore planting if coleus are to be plantedin new beds. Work the soil, preferably witha power tiller, adding amendments asnecessary.

Planting and Blooming

The best time to plant coleus inLouisiana is spring, or when the danger offrost has passed. Coleus are normally usedas garden annuals rather than as perennialsbecause they are one of the first plants tobe killed by frosts in the early winter.

The choice in coleus is unlimited.There is a cultivar for almost every color,leaf shape and variegation you canimagine. Colorful leaves in red, green,pink, white, purple and yellow are onlysome of the choices. Small insignificantflowers will appear in late summer. Removethe flower spikes to induce continuousproduction of new foliage. A plant usuallystops growing when it starts flowering.

Plants grown in heavy shade may becomestraggly and need frequent pruning tomaintain a low, dense form. Dwarf, morecompact forms are also available inaddition to the standard varieties. Allvarieties grow rapidly.

In late fall before the first frost,cuttings from favorite cultivars may betaken, rooted for overwintering andreplanted outdoors the next spring.

Watering and Fertilizing

Watering is often necessary toachieve good foliage. Coleus do nottolerate wet feet, so make extra sure thesoil has good drainage and that thewatering is strictly monitored. Too muchwater will reduce vigor and make theplants more susceptible to diseases androot rot. In south Louisiana’s hotsummers, it’s important to make sure thebeds or containers stay moist but notoverly wet. Modify the watering scheduleaccording to growth and temperature.

Fertilize established plants once ortwice during the growing season. Use aslow-release fertilizer at the rate of 1-2pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feetof bed area.

Mulching

Mulching is an essential part of goodculture. Mulches serve many purposes,

The Colors of Coleus

such as maintaining soil moisture andkeeping weeds under control. Mulchingduring the summer is not necessary, butrecommended to control weeds andreduce the amount of watering needed.Coleus benefit from mulches such aspine straw needles, pine straw shavings, cypress mulch and pine bark mulch.

Recommended Cultivars

Most cultivars available will deliversuperior landscape performance. A few ofmany selections include:

Cultivar ColorAlabama yellow with redPineapple yellowNew Orleans Red (‘Red Ruffle’) dark red/cherrySolar Series numerousMardi Gras reddish greenPlum Parfait plumBurgundy Sun burgundyDuck’s Foot red/orangeGrasshopper green

New Orleans Red coleus was a‘Louisiana Select’ recipient in 1996; PlumParfait and Burgundy Sun have beenrecognized for outstanding performancein Texas trials.

Pests

Fortunately, coleus has no seriousinsect or disease problems when grown

outdoors in properly prepared beds orcontainers. The most common problemsare mealy bugs and aphids.

Mealy bugs cause considerabledamage, especially on plants growingindoors. They have soft scales with smallsegmented bodies. The egg sacks areusually located in the axils of leaves andappear in a cottony mass. They hatch inabout 10 days and cover the entire plant.Wipe off a light infestation with a dampcloth. Severe infestations are difficult tocontrol. Consult your county agent forcontrol recommendations.

Aphids are sap-sucking insects thatweaken the plants. Flowering pot plantsare especially susceptible. The plant isweakened, and sticky honeydew isdeposited. Control methods includerepeated chemical applications.

Other pests with minor importanceinclude mites and whiteflies. Leaf spotscan also be a problem.

ColorColeus

The

of

Erica A. Stock, Undergraduate Student (Horticulture)Allen D. Owings, Associate Specialist (Horticulture)

Louisiana State University Agricultural Center,William B. Richardson, ChancellorLouisiana Cooperative Extension Service,Jack L. Bagent, Vice Chancellor and DirectorPub. 2677 (3 M) 07/2000 Rep.Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of

Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the UnitedStates Department of Agriculture. The Louisiana CooperativeExtension Service provides equal opportunities in programs andemployment.

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