There is nothing frivolous about coleus. It’s the perfect plant for gardeners and non-gardeners who love practicality. My mother, who liked coleus. was a “Depression baby” who re-used bread bags and aluminum foil. She never bought anything that wasn’t on sale, and would try a new brand or flavor because she “had a coupon for it.” She didn’t get teary-eyed over a bouquet of roses, but she’d ask my Dad and I to get coleus when we shopped for plants in the spring.

Coleus provided the best bang for the buck compared with Petunias, which would grow leggy by July, or geraniums, which require a bit of fussing. Mom liked the way coleus functioned as color guards that flanked the front porch all summer long. All they needed was an occasional watering — a good thing when you have seven kids to take care of.

Since those days, a lot has happened to plants in general, and coleus specifically. Sometime between the 1960s and the 21^st century, breeders once again discovered the functional beauty of this Indonesian native. From upright to trailing, from vigorous to delicate, it goes with anything colors. Today coleus is a mainstay at any garden center.

According to Ray Rogers in his book Coleus: Rainbow Foliage for Containers and Gardens, the most important quality of coleus is its easy-to-care-for nature. Ray’s book offers some insight into why that is so. In recent times it seems that coleus has been declared a sun-loving plant. When breeders went to work creating new coleus hybrids, they noticed some were more sun-tolerant than others. Factors that contribute to a coleus’ ability to thrive outside of a shady corner included leaf color and thickness, and soil moisture.

In general, Rogers says, darker-colored varieties tolerate more sun than paler ones, with yellow-leaved cultivars falling somewhere in the middle. All bets are off, however, if you decide to increase a plant’s sun exposure.

“Even normally sun-tolerant cultivars can burn when plants that are kept in a relatively low-light area are suddenly moved into brighter light,” Rogers warns.

It’s a good practice to leave a container in the shade for a couple of days after it’s been planted. Ideally, it should be moved gradually into more and more sun, all the while monitoring its moisture, especially if the weather is hot. And if you want to see what a coleus looks like in more shade, just look inside the plant where the sun doesn’t penetrate. I noticed that, with the cultivar called ‘Campfire’, the leaves growing just 10 inches below the stem tips could be from a different plant entirely. Leaves at the top of the plant were a rich, bright, and nearly solid orange, while those lower on the plant were a muted orange with an irregular chartreuse edging.

How Did Coleus Get Its Name?

There is some name confusion in the coleus world, but it’s nothing new. When Karl Blume discovered it in the wilds of Java and introduced it to English gardeners in 1853, it was called Coleus blumei in honor of Blume. It wasn’t until this century that it was placed into a different genetic category, and twice! The first name change was to Solenostemon scutellarioides. That didn’t last long. The plant now has a more easily pronounced name, Plectranthus (Pleck-TRAN’-thus). Houseplant aficionados may recognize that as the botanical name for Swedish ivy. Because it could be decades (if at all) before gardeners start referring to the plant as Plectranthus, most people will continue to call it coleus.

My Favorite Varieties of Coleus

I’ve enjoyed growing nearly two dozen different varieties of coleus over the past three seasons. Some, like ‘Fishnet Stockings’ and ‘Inky Fingers’ I’ve grown several times because their combination of lime and deep purple appeal to me.

1. One variety that always finds its way into my cart is ‘Fishnet Stockings’. With its precise lines of burgundy coursing through large chartreuse leaves, it never fails to catch my eye. It’s a large plant (to 30”), and mixes well with anything sporting deep red flowers.
2. The name ‘Wasabi’ says it all—bright and hot and a shade of chartreuse that never fails to attract attention. Add deeply serrated edges on its leaves and it’s hard for any coleus fan to do without it. Plant a stand of Gomphrena ‘Fireworks’ in front of it and it will add excitement to your garden all season long.
3. ColorBlaze ‘Marooned’ can be your go-to choice for deep, rich, velvety, solid red foliage. It’s one of the tallest of the bunch, as it can reach three feet in height, but its slender, scalloped foliage. This cultivar cries out for companions in pale to bright pink to bring out its mahogany hues.
4. ‘Campfire’ is a large upright cultivar that falls into the deep orange category. Everything about it is big, and it demands lots of space. Its nearly solid-colored leaves love to be paired with variegated green and cream foliage and coral-colored flowers.
5. ‘Saturn’ is a stunner, and as the weather heats up, it will show why it was given its name. Electric yellow-green forms a line down the center of each leaf, and is surrounded by a wide ring of deep red. And to give it a little extra character, small, irregular spots of the same green stipple the red trim. It’s an upright grower that seldom passes 24-inches in height.
6. ‘Inky Fingers’ has a lot going for it. Labeled a “duckfoot” variety, its deep purple and bright green leaves are heavily scalloped. It’s a mounding coleus that makes a great filler that will cascade around the outside of a container or spread at a height of around 18-inches in the ground.
7. ‘Trailing Plum’ makes the perfect subject for hanging baskets and as cascading color for containers. Its small leaves contain purple with a luminescent band of plum at the outside edge. You have to be a little careful about the amount of sun this foot-tall plant gets—it likes just enough to give it the best color but not enough to burn its leaves. This variety is also known as ‘Swinging Linda’, ‘Meandering Linda’ or ‘Trailing Plum Brocade’.
8. ‘Coleosaurus’ is a different animal in the sun than it is in partial shade. It’s beautiful in either location. Give it plenty of sun (and water) and it will be bright chartreuse and deep red. In partial shade, where I grow it, it will be bright lime green and burgundy, not unlike ‘Fishnet Stockings’ but with much more detail. It is a big and burly plant, and goes beautifully with deep red Pelargonium.
9. In Lonely Planet’s introduction to Marrakesh, the city, Jessica Lee writes that “it fizzes with life.” ‘Marrakesh’ the coleus does the same thing. It’s got a lot going on, from its tri-lobed leaves that sometimes throw in a few extra scallops to its random-patterned ruby and chartreuse coloration, you might think it would be over-the-top busy. But it works. It also has a great habit—very compact, each 12”-16” stem loaded with leaves.
10. Be careful combining ‘Yellow Dragon’ with other plants. It’s considered a miniature—slow-growing and topping out at around 10 inches. Its narrow yellow leaves are deeply scalloped and trimmed with a narrow red edge. This little cutie is a candidate for growing indoors, and in a mixed container, should be combined with other small, non-aggressive plants.

If you have trouble growing Heuchera, or think you have too much sun for coleus, give them another try. While they don’t enjoy the same conditions as succulents, they prefer not to be relegated to the same situation as Impatiens.

Sources:

Taylor Greenhouses, Portland, NY

Glasshouse Works, Stewart, OH

Rosy Dawn Gardens, New Hudson, MI

International Coleus Society offers a youtube video called Killer Coleus

Coleus: Rainbow Foliage for Containers and Gardens by Ray Rogers

When I first started gardening, I carefully selected plants from glossy catalogs (there was no “online” back then), and was inspired by the gardens shown in magazines. I grew everything that caught my fancy, divvying it up into three beds—two in sun and one in shade. And I wondered why my garden didn’t look as fantastic as the gardens in the magazines.

I planted lots of lilies, flowering tobacco, marigolds, roses, and lamb’s ears. In another bed I grew sunflowers and sweet peas, tulips and daffodils. It took years before I realized why, although the flowers were beautiful, the garden looked like a turbulent mishmash.

It’s simple once you know the secret: The most beautiful gardens don’t rely on flowers. They feature plants that enhance the drama of the bodacious flowers simply by just being green and healthy. So now, when I plant something grown for its flowers, I consider its foliage and I pick out its companions.

Ugly duckling below the neck, beautiful swan above, the lily is a plant that cries out for company. Some Lilium grow stems from three to six feet tall before unfurling their colorful trumpets. One of the newer hybrids, called Orienpets, is a cross between Orientals and trumpet lilies. They’re easy to grow, seldom need to be staked, are sometimes fragrant and get better every year.

Lily Combos

There is no denying the beauty of a lily, but a lily with Liatris? The contrast of fuzzy purplish spikes standing shoulder to shoulder with the smooth and brilliant lily flowers is an easy feat if you know what to plant.

Lilium ‘Sweetheart’ is an Orienpet with bi-colored flowers of mango yellow and apple red. Accent this fragrant three to four-footer with Salvia ‘Cherry Chief’ autumn sage, which starts blooming in earnest after the lilies are finished.

Lilium ‘Conca d’Or’ is an award-winning lily that grows from four to five feet tall before opening its soft butter yellow trumpets. Plant it near the peonies that have finished flowering and adjacent to Liatris ‘Kobold’, which reaches just under three feet. An alternative for any Lilium companion is the three-foot tall Salvia Van houttei in either deep red or orange.

Lilies of any shade look best with a complimentary backdrop. One of the best is Cotinus, or smokebush. I like Cotinus ‘Grace’ and ‘Royal Purple’, with their deep purple leaves that keep their own counsel until fall when shades of orange and red are added to their repertoire.

Coleus that are both tall and sun tolerant make great lily buddies—especially the varieties with solid-color leaves. ‘Redhead’ grows up to three feet tall, its sturdy stems bearing leaves of a solid red that will go with so many colors. Other solid colored performers include ‘Campfire’, a fiery orange, ‘Glinda’, deep reddish purple, and ‘Inferno’, a deep orange.

Peony Combos

There is no doubt that peonies are the divas of May and June. But while they command all the attention, they’ll look even better with the right companions. One of the best plants to use with peonies is a North American Native that’s been hybridized to a dizzying array of colors and heights. Baptisia in its original form comes in white, blue or yellow. For hybrids, you can’t beat ‘Purple Smoke’ or Decadence ‘Blueberry Sundae’, because this kind of blue goes with every peony color, even the corals.

Baptisia is a plant that looks good even after it blooms, spreading very slowly, its soft stems arching prettily with grey-green leaves. I’ve yet to see one anywhere that has been damaged by insects or disease. Give its location choice a good deal of thought, though. Once this pea relative is in the ground, you’ll have to hire a backhoe to get it out.

Amaranth ‘Oeschberg’ puts out new leaves of a deep wine color, making the perfect companion for the pink peony flowers. Keeping it pinched back through June keeps it compact, and, because it promotes new growth, assures the leaves will remain colorful. Later in the summer, when the peonies are just a memory, this tall, dark and handsome plant will continue to give. The newest leaves can be harvested for salads, and if you let the flowers go to seed in late summer, the neighborhood birds will be sure to come by for a nutritious snack.

A bulb that can be planted in the fall along with peonies is Ornithogalum magnum, a white and spiky plant that unfurls at the same time as mid-season peonies. Because it is white, and reaches nearly three feet tall, it’s an ideal accent for peony flowers.

Shady Springtime

Good partnership choices seem easier in the shade. For one thing, there aren’t as many large-flowered plants vying for attention. In springtime, Helleborus flower buds give us new hope, and cautious peony sprouts are a cause for celebration. One of the plants that I love to see in early April is Brunnera ‘Hadspen Cream’. With its pale sage leaves bordered in cream, it’s a great mixer with any Hellebore, especially the white flowered varieties.

Around the same time as the Brunnera’s leaves appear, Pulmonaria also makes its debut. With its silver-speckled deep green leaves, it offers fresh cover for shade-loving companions. The purple and blue flowers of Brunnera and Pulmonaria bloom just a bit later than the Hellebores, creating a great sequence of color for shady gardens.

I consider Dicentra ‘Gold Heart’ one of the great classic bleeding hearts. It has those beautiful heart-shaped flowers that dangle from each stem, but it also lights up a shady spot with its bright chartreuse leaves. The leaves disappear when the heat comes to stay, but by then you have the Astilbe, whose lacy leaves provide a nice backdrop for the bleeding heart and shift into their floral display in early to mid-June.

PLANT SOURCES: Most of the plants listed can be found at your local garden centers. But if you’re looking for something different, specialty nurseries have a lot to offer.

B & D Lilies: growers in Port Townsend, WA has a huge selection of Lilium

Easy to Grow Bulbs: offers an extensive variety of hardy and tender bulbs

Pine Knot Farms: specializes in Hellebores, and is located in Clarksville, VA

Rosy Dawn Gardens: An extensive selection of cutting-grown Coleus in New Hudson, MI

Peony growers that offer a good selection of healthy plants in the fall include:

• Hollingsworth Peonies
• Swenson Gardens
• Klehm’s Songsparrow Farm & Nursery

BOOKS

Choosing Plant Combinations ed. Better Homes and Gardens

Color Echoes: Harmonizing Color in the Garden by Pamela J. Harper