Do you want some fantastic coleus to add a splash of color to your yard, but don’t know anything about it? It's not a problem. Today we will tell you absolutely everything about growing this unique plant. You can learn about when and how coleus is planted in open ground, how to provide it with proper care and much more. Take a look at the presented photo and appreciate the unsurpassed beauty of this plant.

The most famous plant species and varieties

The charming coleus flowers are popularly called "poor man's croton." They themselves come from hot Africa and tropical forests of Asia. They are characterized by ribbed stems that are woody at the very base, as well as very attractive heart-shaped, toothed, hairy leaves that look a little like nettles. The color of the foliage of these plants is simply charming; it can combine shades of dark burgundy, green, bright red and even yellow. Lilac or blue flowers Coleus are collected in small spike-shaped inflorescences. However, this plant is grown solely for the stunning decorative beauty of its leaves.

Coleus is very popular due to the beauty of its leaves.

Fantastic coleus, annual and perennial, today has about 150 different species.

For example, enormous popularity in indoor floriculture deserved polyhybrid varieties and species. One of their parents was Coleus Blume. The height of representatives of this species is about 1 m, and its leaves have an oval shape and serrated edges. The shade of the foliage may vary depending on whether they are located in the shade or in the sun.

Coleus Blume

Also quite famous Coleus Renelta, which originates from distant Sri Lanka. The leaves of the plant are placed on high cups, they are opposite, with wavy edges and multi-colored veins.

Coleus Renelta

The most popular varieties of coleus.

Features of planting and caring for coleus

Chic coleus can add rich contrasting shades to your busy area. Planting and caring for it is absolutely not difficult, which is one of its main advantages.

Coleus can be planted in open ground after the cold weather ends. The best place for it would be a well-lit place protected from strong gusts of wind.

Provide your coleus with sunlight.

Dig holes in the ground, keeping a short distance from each other, add fertile substrate to them and plant coleus. Also, do not forget to water the seedlings moderately. The growing process will not require much effort or specific skills from you, especially if you want to grow it as annual species. As for perennial coleus, it is dug out of the ground for the winter and stored at home until spring.

Provide coleus with regular, abundant watering during dry periods. For this, use settled water, which can be stored in a barrel right in the garden. Periodically loosen the soil and remove weeds so that the plant can develop and grow normally.

Advice. Several times over summer season trim the coleus. This way it will bush better and become even more magnificent.

In the warm season, provide indoor coleus with regular spraying, and in winter keep it on a special tray with wet expanded clay.

Attention! Remove new buds from indoor coleus in a timely manner so that they do not weaken the development of beautiful foliage.

Methods of propagation and feeding of plants

Coleus is propagated in two ways:

• seeds;
• cuttings.

Coleus reproduces well by seed. It is sown in open ground, fertile and light, at the end of March. The seeds are laid out on the surface of the soil, sprinkled lightly with water and sprinkled with a thin layer of sand. Next, the container with the seedlings is covered with glass or transparent film and kept in a dark, warm room.

Coleus seeds

The germination rate of coleus seeds is quite high. Literally on the 8-10th day shoots will appear. Then you will need to remove the glass and place the container on a bright windowsill, but direct sunlight should be avoided. Optimal temperature for further growth it will be 17-20 degrees.

When the first pair of leaves appears (at 3-4 weeks), the seedlings are transplanted into special cassettes, where their root system can grow normally and become stronger. At 5-6 weeks, transplant them into glasses and pin them.

Coleus cuttings can be obtained by trimming the plant. The length of the cutting should be about 10 cm. Its lower leaves are removed, and the plant itself is placed in moist soil, covered with film and kept in a dark room at a temperature of 19-20 degrees. After 7-10 days, the cuttings will have roots, and that’s when you can transplant the coleus to permanent place growth.

Coleus sprouts

Dangerous diseases and pests

Many troubles can arise due to improper and untimely care of the plant. For example, if it is not trimmed in time, the shoots will become too elongated. From a lack of moisture, as well as from waterlogging, leaves can simply fall off, and poor lighting will affect the color of the foliage.

Coleus can be affected spider mites, whiteflies and aphids. To combat aphids, use a soap solution. Ticks are destroyed with drugs such as Oberon or Akarin, and whiteflies with Aktara.

Use in landscape design and combination with other plants

Because of the rich and intense color range, Coleus are best combined with monochromatic plants with delicate greenery. For example, coleus harmonizes perfectly with cineraria and sage, which will create a magnificent background for them. In addition, gypsophila, all kinds of lilies, daylilies, etc. will become wonderful neighbors for them.

Coleus in a country flower bed

By planting several varieties of coleus in a flowerbed, you will get a fantastic composition, very impressive and colorful. This plant is best suited for creating carpeted ceremonial flower beds with patterns that often decorate city parks and alleys.

In a word, this is a real find for modern landscape design. View Coleus applications in various options You can see the design of the plots in the photo.

Features of caring for coleus: video

Types of coleus: photo

Coleus (poor man's croton) is a genus of subshrub perennial and annual plants from the Lamiaceae family. Their homeland is the tropical zone of Africa and Asia. However, despite this, coleus is unpretentious. Thanks to the abundance of its species, it becomes possible cultivation coleus in the room and in the garden.

Common types and popular varieties

There are about 150 species of coleus in the world and many more color combinations inherent in them. Most often, coleus has the appearance of a small shrub with opposite, densely spaced large leaves, similar to nettles. Some species have edible tubers, others bloom beautifully, and still others belong to the category of decorative foliage plants. The stem of the poor man's croton is erect, slightly woody and ribbed.

Coleus is distributed primarily as a houseplant. However, it can be planted in open ground for the summer, which is actively used by landscape designers.

Of the variety of coleus in gardening, two species brought to Europe back in the 19th century were taken as the basis. These are Coleus Blume and Coleus Verschaffelt. From them a huge number of hybrid species and varieties of poor man's croton were bred. They are still used in breeding.

K. Blume (or Bluma) is a perennial herbaceous plant with an erect tetrahedral stem. Its leaves are oblong, pubescent, ovoid in shape. Painted in different shades of green, burgundy and pink.

The following varieties of this species are widespread:

• Butterfly;

• Volcano;

• Sabre;

• Golden Bedder;

• The Chief.

K. Verschaffelta is quite similar to the species described above, but stands out for its larger and brighter leaves with a velvety surface.

K. Hybrid is represented by a large number of varieties (Fantasy, Wizard, Weasley). They have a number of features in common:

• Erect stems, square in cross-section;
• Opposite leaves;
• Uneven edges of leaves: jagged, wavy, dissected, curly and velvety.

Advice! If you want to grow luxurious coleus at home, pay attention to the species Laciniatus and Nanus. They grow about 30 cm tall and are distinguished by beautiful leaves.

Ampelous (hanging from pots) varieties of coleus are very interesting. They are usually grown in hanging baskets And flowerpot, as well as in boxes on balconies and terraces. For example, K. dwarf does not even reach 30 cm in height, but has hanging branches with elongated leaves different shades red

Coleus Renelta has red and green edged leaves with small teeth on the edges. It comes from Sri Lanka, but thanks to a number of crosses it has taken root here.

Landing

As already mentioned, coleus is grown both in open ground, and in pots and greenhouses. They plant it, of course, in different ways. Let's look at each type of landing separately.

Coleus at home

Before you plant coleus in a pot, you need to find it appropriate place in the room. This plant loves the sun and does not grow if the temperature drops below 12°C, so it is usually placed on a windowsill on the east or south side, but protected from direct sunlight.

Advice! If you have glass balcony or loggia, place a pot of coleus there. The plant will be able to breathe fresh air, receive the amount of light it needs and will be protected from wind and rain..

And some more important rules for growing plants:

• The container in which you plan to plant the coleus must have a depth of at least 15 cm, otherwise the root system of the flower will have nowhere to settle;

• Drainage must be placed at the bottom of the pot;
• The soil should be chosen non-acidic, fertile and permeable;

Advice! The following mixture is well suited for planting coleus: compost (2 parts), peat (1 part) and sand (1 part).

• Both sprouts and seeds are placed deep enough to leave plenty of room for the rapidly growing root system.

Coleus in the country

Most often this annual plant, which is renewed by cuttings or seeds

As already mentioned, coleus does not tolerate low temperatures, so it cannot overwinter in open ground. If you decide to plant it in the country, be prepared for the fact that during the cold season the plant will have to be brought into the house. Another option is to drop off annual varieties coleus.

The current abundance of varieties and hybrids allows us to “weave” the most intricate Persian carpets on lawns from this plant

Choosing a place for coleus in the country should be even more careful than in a room. Thus, varieties with white spots on the leaves can withstand even direct rays of the sun, but other varieties can get burned. To avoid this problem, plant coleus in a slightly shaded area.

Coleus sprouts are planted in the ground, which are obtained by cuttings or growing from seeds (this will be discussed in more detail in the next section). This is done closer to summer, when the average temperature per day reaches 16-18°C.

There should be enough space between individual specimens, since the bushes grow very quickly.

Coleus prefers non-acidic, fertile soils. When planting, they can be fertilized with agroperlite. It would be good if the drainage was thought out. As a fertilizer for active growth This plant uses a mineral complex.

Idea! To flower bed looked bright and colorful, plant coleus in groups, depending on the color of the leaves.

Reproduction

Coleus, or as it is popularly called, coleus, propagates in two ways: by cuttings and seeds.

Cuttings

Cuttings are used when they want to preserve the color of a plant. They are harvested in the warm season - spring or summer. Cuttings about 10 cm long are cut from young branches. Lower leaves cut off.

In order for the shoot to take root, it is placed in sand, water or soil. The pots are covered with film and placed in a shaded but warm place (18-20°C), and after 10 days they are planted in a permanent habitat.

Growing from seeds

If you use the seeds of an existing plant, you can get coleus of an unpredictable color, so store-bought material is often used.

Sowing is done in early spring. The seeds are placed in a box, laid out so that there is free space between them, and crushed with earth. After which they are sent to a room with a temperature of 20-22°C and watered frequently. After two weeks, shoots appear.

When the sprouts in the box become crowded, pick them. The planted bushes are pinched several times (for the first time when the shoot reaches a height of 10 cm) so that by the time of planting they have quite a lot of branches.

Features of care

Let's consider the basic principles of caring for coleus:

Watering. In the warm season croton the poor man is watered very generously. When the temperature drops, the volume and frequency of watering is reduced, but the surface of the earth is not allowed to dry out. On insufficient watering Coleus responds with sagging leaves.

Advice! If your tap water is too hard, use rainwater for irrigation.

Lighting. Coleus loves sunlight. But it is better not to leave it in direct light to avoid burns. Young plants need to be accustomed to light gradually;

Humidity. Like any other tropical plant, coleus loves moisture. In spring and summer it should be sprayed with water at room temperature;

Temperature. This heat-loving plant dies when temperatures drop below 12°C. But it should also be protected from extreme heat (above 25°C);

Feeding. During active development (spring-summer), every week coleus is fed with mineral or organic fertilizers. Potassium fertilizing is well suited (0.3 - 0.5 g per liter). In winter, plants are fed once a month;

Pinching. In order for the bush to branch well, the top of the coleus is pinched, and in February it is completely pruned, leaving 5-8 eyes;

Diseases. Some problems with appearance flowers are caused by violation of the rules of care. So, due to lack of lighting and pinching not carried out in time, the lower part of the stem is exposed and the leaves fade. When the soil dries out, leaves fall off, and dryness and lack of heat can lead to weakening and even death of the plant;

A good prevention against ticks is to constantly spray the plant. They fight it by washing the leaves with a soap solution. In severe cases, they resort to sulfur and phosphorus drugs (Temik, Aldicarb).

Aphids are afraid ladybugs and birds, as well as spraying with a solution of liquid soap (2 tsp) with oil (2 cups) and water (2 cups).

The coleus plant has gained great popularity in the field of decorative floriculture, largely due to its undemanding nature and ease of care. The flower grows quickly if it is warm and has enough light. In just one season, coleus acquires a lush cap of colorful leaves. In this article we will share with you some recommendations for growing a beautiful crop at home.

The coleus flower belongs to the Lamiaceae family, which consists of approximately 150 species. The name of the plant comes from the Greek "kleos", which means "case". The humid tropics of Asia and Africa are considered the birthplace of the variegated flower.

Popular varieties of coleus

1. Coleus hybrid. Often you can see this particular species on the windowsill of city residents - a medium-sized plant with an “agile” character. Given suitable conditions, coleus reaches a height of 1 m. The bush attracts attention with oval, slightly elongated leaves with pronounced serrated edges. If the plant is shaded most of the day, its leaves will be green, but if the pot is in the sun, then they will be dark red.
2. Coleus Renelta. Historical homeland of decorative hanging plant- Sri Lanka. Its shoots grow up to 50 cm in length. The main advantage of the variety is its heart-shaped leaves with wavy edges. The leaf blade is decorated with multi-colored veins: yellow, purple, red, brown.
3. Coleus Blume. Most of all, lovers of indoor plants fell in love with Coleus Blume - it has a whole variety of interesting varieties! In the natural environment, the culture is ubiquitous in Southeast Asia. This is a subshrub, the stem of which is framed by woody branches up to 80 cm high at the base.

The most popular and beautiful varieties of Coleus Blume:

• Black Dragon - This variety of coleus is distinguished by brown-purple leaves with grooved edges and a surface mottled with red veins.
• Vizzard Golden - the variety is recognized by bright leaves yellow-light green color.
• Wizzard Evening Dawn - the plant impresses with rich red leaves framed by a narrow green border.
• Wizzard Jade – business card varieties have white leaves with green edges.

Among the many different types and varieties of coleus, there is sure to be a flower that you would like to see in your home.

Coleus: home care

The motley native of the tropics is completely unpretentious in terms of cultivation and care. To make your windowsill “bloom” with colorful coleus leaves, try to remember a few simple recommendations.

Planting coleus

Coleus needs a spacious pot about 15 cm deep. There must be holes at the bottom of the container through which water will flow out through the drainage layer. A rapidly growing crop must be provided with fertile neutral or slightly acidic soil, which must also have such qualities as lightness and looseness. For example, a mixture of 2 parts compost, 1 part peat and 1 part coarse sand is quite suitable for coleus.

Permanent place and lighting for coleus

The plant prefers to bask in the sun's rays. Lack of light causes coleus to strongly stretch its shoots and shed its leaves. However, good things should be in moderation - if the lighting is too bright, the original pattern of coleus leaves fades, and the bush itself stops growing. That is why it is so important to find a bright and at the same time partially shaded place for a flower pot on an eastern or western windowsill. To ensure that the bush grows leaves evenly, the pot is turned to the light on the other side from time to time. Coleus can also be grown on a balcony or terrace - there the indoor plant will be fully provided with fresh air and at the same time protected from bad weather.

This is interesting! Green coleus specimens do not need sunlight as much as varieties with variegated crown colors.

Air humidity for coleus

As a true representative of the tropics, coleus will not tolerate dry indoor air. To make the plant feel good, it is regularly sprayed with a spray bottle.

Temperature for coleus

Stable temperature without significant changes is of great importance for coleus. Colorful bushes grow without problems at 20 - 24 0 C.

Watering coleus

The successful development of indoor coleus largely depends on proper moisture. For irrigation you need slightly warm soft water. In the hot season, the soil in the pot should always be moist, and in winter you should wait until the top of the soil dries out before watering the plant. Coleus also responds well to warm showers and irrigation. In the cold season, spraying is stopped.

Coleus Fertilizer

Coleus growing at home needs weekly feeding. complex fertilizers in summer. In winter, the amount of fertilizing can be reduced to 2 times a month, without forgetting to reduce the concentration of the solution nutrients exactly half. Coleus are also periodically watered with nettle decoction, which helps them grow more compactly without stretching out.

Coleus pruning

Coleus care would be incomplete without regular pruning. The procedure is carried out in several cases:

• to stop growth - as soon as the plant reaches optimal height, it is pruned, which stimulates the diligent growth of green mass;
• to cause active tillering of shoots 2 - 3 weeks after picking;
• to form a bush - the plant will take any shape, provided that its green mass is very lush;
• to restore decorative look in the spring - after wintering, the coleus will be very elongated, since for a long time it did not receive sufficient light. Pruning is drastic: only 2–3 buds are left on the trunk;
• to obtain cuttings for planting coleus. To do this, you need to choose strong shoots located at the top of the bush.

This is interesting! Small white coleus flowers with a bluish tint are not decorative at all. How to collect good seeds It is difficult to grow this plant at home, then they have no practical significance. Experts advise cutting them off, since the coleus blooms to the detriment of its shocking beauty. Flowers may appear from March to September.

Coleus transplant

Coleus growing at home does not require frequent replanting. In addition, this crop is often grown as an annual plant, so replanting in in this case irrelevant. But if you decide to leave the coleus for the winter, by spring it needs to prepare a larger diameter pot - in old container the root system of the bush will be crowded and it will no longer grow. Although root system Coleus cannot be called powerful; it usually tolerates replanting after seasonal pruning well.

The plant can also be transshipped. If the size of the old pot is still suitable for coleus, replanting is not necessary, but you will need to refresh the soil. To do this, the bush is taken out, its roots are shaken off the ground and planted in a pot of the same size, filling all the empty space with new nutritious soil.

Homemade coleus: reproduction

Coleus reproduces with such ease that you can safely leave 1 - 2 bushes of the plant for wintering. vegetative propagation or even throw out the old plant in the fall in order to grow a new one from seeds in the spring. Like garden coleus, indoor specimens can be propagated using seeds and cuttings.

Propagation of coleus by seeds

The easiest way to get coleus is from seeds. The seeds of even very rare plant varieties differ high level germination.

First you need to prepare the optimal substrate for sowing - a mixture of sand and peat will do. The soil is laid out in shallow containers, moistened and seeds are placed there. Almost whole planting material will sprout, so the seeds are placed at a distance of 2 - 3 mm from each other. Then they are lightly sprinkled with soil and sprayed with water from a spray bottle.

Containers with seeds are covered with transparent glass or placed in a plastic bag. Now the seeds need watering and regular ventilation. Shoots will appear almost everywhere after 10 - 12 days.

Whatever variety is planted, the sprouts always appear green. They will acquire the characteristic color of a particular variety a little later. Pots with shoots should be placed on the windowsill, where daylight freely penetrates. First you need to make sure that there are no drafts and the temperature is kept at 20 0 C.

The seedlings will continue to grow quickly, so it is important not to make a mistake with picking young seedlings - the slightest delay will lead to the shoots becoming very elongated. The fact that the time has come to pluck the shoots will be indicated by the appearance of the first 2 - 3 leaves - then the seedlings are transferred to a larger planting container with fertile soil, maintaining a distance of 3 - 4 cm between them. Young shoots of coleus quickly get used to the new place. When the height of the bushes reaches 15–20 cm, they are transplanted into a permanent pot.

Growing coleus from cuttings

After pruning an adult plant, fragments remain, thanks to which coleus can be propagated by cuttings. The procedure can be carried out in the fall, provided that the daughter shoots have enough natural light, or at the end of winter, in order to acquire a beautiful bush by the beginning of spring.

Cuttings of shoots at least 10 cm in length are placed in a glass of water. Alternatively, the lower part of the cutting is freed from leaves and the shoot is immersed in moistened soil or sand, and the top is covered with cut plastic bottle and left in a shaded place at a temperature within 18 - 20 0 C. On average, after 8 - 10 days, roots appear. As soon as this happens, the cuttings are planted in the ground in a permanent place. This type of coleus propagation has proven itself to be the most reliable.

Coleus at home: diseases and pests

In the process of growing coleus, its owner may encounter a number of problems:

• the stem has rotted at the base - due to the lack or insufficient amount of drainage, moisture has stagnated in the pot;
• the edges of the leaves have turned brown - the air in the room is too dry and the plant is experiencing a moisture deficiency;
• leaves fall - the flower is “frozen” due to low temperature and drafts in the room;
• the surface of the leaves is disfigured yellow spots– the flower received sunburn;
• the leaves have lost their decorative appeal, turned pale - coleus lacks natural light;
• the flower has stopped growing - there are not enough nutrients in the ground;
• shoots that are too elongated - the flower has not been pinched or cut for a long time. This symptom may also indicate a lack of lighting or that the plant is already old.

Of the insect pests, the greatest danger to coleus are spider mites, scale insects, whiteflies and aphids, and houseplants more susceptible to them than coleus, which grows in the garden. To prevent damage to the flower, you need to regularly inspect it and give it a warm shower.

Even if the coleus looks strong and healthy, you should always be on guard. Insects are usually found under leaves, on back side sheet plate. The plant soon reacts to their presence by deformation and discoloration of the crown. If you start pest control in time, the plant can be saved. To get rid of the problem, the trunk, shoots and leaves of the coleus need to be treated with soapy water. For greater effectiveness, the procedure is repeated after one week. Before processing, the soil is securely covered with film to prevent insects from getting into the pot.

Note to the florist

1. The main “highlight” of coleus is the variegated colors of its leaves. To indoor flower showed itself in all its glory, it is worth choosing plants with uniformly colored leaves as neighbors.
2. During the cold season, it is best to keep coleus on the windowsill in the kitchen.
3. Young coleus acquires a “presentable” appearance 5 months after planting - knowing this, you can easily determine for yourself the time of planting.
4. The warmer the room where coleus grows, the more abundant its watering should be.
5. If you forgot to water the flower and its leaves lost their elasticity, the soil in the pot should be generously moistened and the flower should be sprayed with water from a spray bottle. Coleus will soon come to life.

Coleus at home. Photo

Coleus at home. Video

Unpretentious, hardy, capable of living both indoors and outdoors, the bright coleus is a plant that can be called almost ideal.

Features of cultivation

The only requirement for growing good healthy coleus is light. Sunlight affects the color, growth, and volume of the plant. Therefore, before growing coleus, choose a well-lit place for it.

At the same time, other important factors also influence the cultivation of coleus:

• temperature;
• air humidity;
• , if we are talking about home cultivation;
• priming;
• fertilizer and others.

Growing coleus at home is not special labor. There are two types of plant propagation: by cuttings and using seeds. You can cut off the top with several leaves from an adult plant, place it in a glass of water, and literally within a week the plant will give roots, after which it can be planted in a separate pot.

To grow coleus from seeds, a not very deep pot with drainage holes is suitable. It is better to use a mixture of peat, sand, and fine sphagnum as soil. Seeds are suitable both store-bought and collected by yourself. Coleus sprouts very well and quickly. The seeds are simply distributed evenly over the surface of the soil, slightly moistened, and then the pot is covered with film. The container itself is placed on the windowsill or light is artificially created for the plant. The most best time for sowing seeds - March.

In literally a month and a half, the plant will produce several good, solid leaves, colored in the color appropriate to the variety. Coleus loves a lot of light, but too much sun will not suit it, remember this when you grow the plant at home. Coleus loves when its leaves are sprayed, but in the hot season, the plant must be moved to the shade before this procedure. In winter, coleus is watered less often so that the roots do not begin to rot, and it is better to stop spraying altogether.

Coleus: planting and care in open ground

The cold weather is literally over and the time has begun when you can sow coleus. Find a well-ventilated and lit place for it. Let some shadow fall on the bushes sometimes to avoid direct rays of the scorching sun. Then you need to make small holes in the ground at the same distance, add a little fertilizer and planting coleus in open ground can begin. After planting, the beds need to be watered, but do not overdo it. That, in general, is all with the landing.

Caring for coleus in open ground is very simple - the main thing is not to forget to water. Coleus does not like drought; it is also useful to spray the leaves. To make the plant grow and bush better, give it a haircut once a summer. Coleus has no special soil requirements; the plant is truly unpretentious and can grow both in the ground and in sawdust and even sand. But sometimes it doesn’t hurt to feed him either. Therefore, you can buy a special one in the store mineral fertilizer and “feed” the coleus. Fertilizer instructions can be found on the packaging.

Plant pests and diseases

Coleus is practically not disturbed by pests, so there is no need to spray it. Sometimes they appear, but they can be easily removed with plain water. It may also appear on coleus. It can be collected by hand.

Coleus, like any other plant, can also get sick, but proper care will help you avoid such troubles. For example, if the plant is constantly exposed to sunlight, the plant may lose color; if the coleus is not watered enough, it may lose its leaves, and if there is not enough light, the plant will stretch out and the leaves will turn yellow. By the way, varieties with white and light leaves, but they tolerate it worse with green ones. If coleus grows slowly, which is uncharacteristic for it, it means that the plant does not have enough nutrition.

So, planting and subsequent care of coleus in open ground includes the following:

If you plan to grow coleus for only a year, then there is no need to replant the plant. In another case, coleus is replanted every two or three years. If we are talking about indoor coleus, then it needs to be transplanted into another pot, larger in size and in new soil. For the winter, coleus is often taken from the garden to the home. winter Garden. In the spring they are planted again in their summer cottage.

A little about the types of coleus

As you can see, care after planting coleus in the open ground consists of literally several points, their implementation will provide you with a beautiful country cottage area. By the way, coleus is very often used in landscape design. The plant goes well with other flowers, is very easy to care for, and helps create amazing flowers.

Coleus looks good with ivy, verbena, sage, mantle, yarrow and others. Its varieties, and there are almost 150 of them, help diversify compositions, refresh them, give bright colors. Types of coleus differ in plant height, color, leaf shape, and splendor of the bush.

The original Coleus “rainbow” - the leaves of the plant contain shades of green, burgundy, red and yellow. "Black Dragon" has a fringe along the edge of the leaves, the leaves themselves are dark red, with beautiful patterns. The "Renelta" variety has a matte red tint of leaves and a deep green edging.

Growing Coleus , or as it is also called home or colored nettle, brings pure pleasure, let’s summarize:

• coleus loves the sun;
• the bush loves moisture;
• Coleus can be grown from cuttings or from seeds;
• the plant needs mineral feeding;
• the bush needs to be trimmed;
• protect it from pests.

Decorative coleus will bring a touch of positivity and diversify your garden plot or kitchen window sill. With the help of coleus they create crazy beautiful flower beds, and even floral designs. By the way, coleus brings not only aesthetic pleasure, but is also used in folk medicine. Coleus has a positive effect on metabolism, normalizes its action, and generally improves health.

Planting coleus in detail on video

See several varieties of seeds and how they are planted experienced gardeners, you can within this video:

Coleus is a flower that belongs to the genus Yasnotkovyh. Its name is translated from Greek as “case”. It is distributed throughout the tropical forests of Africa and Asia, but recently it can increasingly be found in the flower beds of our country.

Description, features and types of coleus

Coleus flower has a tetrahedral ribbed stem, lignification is observed at its base. Coleus leaf basically has small in size, but in some species it can reach 15 centimeters. The shape is heart-shaped, the color varies from various shades of green to bright red.

Coleus inflorescences are spike-shaped. purple and blue. Due to the fact that the leaves and stems of coleus are similar in color to nettles, people this plant called "nettle".

Today there are about 60 in the world coleus species, Moreover, all the varieties that we can see in flower beds and pots were obtained from a species such as coleus bloome. Thanks to this species, a huge number of varieties of coleus have already appeared and their number is increasing every year.

Blume can reach sizes up to 80 centimeters. It has oval, slightly elongated leaves with coarsely toothed edges. There is a huge amount hybrid forms this, the sizes of which can vary from 10 to 80 centimeters. In addition, the following varieties of coleus are widely known:

Pictured is Coleus “Hybrid”

Growing Coleus

Growing Coleus- this is a fairly simple matter, since the plant does not require special care behind you. If you have decided to grow coleus at home, then you should start doing this at the end of March.

The photo shows a coleus flower at home

Allowed planting coleus and at other times, for example, in winter or autumn, but in such a situation it will be necessary to provide additional lighting to the seedlings. The soil must be light and fertile; a flat box is perfect as a container.

Further, coleus seeds placed on the surface of the soil (not in piles), sprayed with water, covered a little with sand, covered with glass on top and moved to a warm and dark place. It is necessary to ensure that the soil is kept moist at all times. Usually, coleus from seeds It sprouts very well from almost every seed.

Plant germination is observed already on days 7–10. After the first shoots appear, the container with the plant should be moved to a window, preferably one that faces west or east. At the same time, it is very important to protect the sprouts from the influence of direct rays of the sun. The plant should be kept at a temperature of 17–19 degrees.

When the plant is 3-4 weeks old and the first leaves appear on it, it needs to be moved to special cassettes, they contribute to the development of a strong root system in the coleus, which will not be damaged when planted in open ground. And at 5–6 weeks, each young coleus should be transplanted into a large plastic glass.

Coleus in open ground need to be planted only after the onset of full warm days. It is recommended to choose an area for planting that receives a sufficient amount of sunlight, but is slightly shaded.

Be sure to ensure that the area is not too windy, although some coleus varieties They tolerate windy weather well. Next, you should dig holes and place a substrate in them that prevents the penetration of water and air. Then they are seated in the holes from glasses.

The photo shows all the known colors of the coleus flower.

It is worth noting that if you want to enjoy several years house plant coleus, then it is not worth planting in open ground, ideal option there will be pots.

If you decide to grow coleus using cuttings, you need to select a cutting that is at least 10 centimeters long. All leaves are removed from its lower part.

It is then placed in moist soil and covered on top plastic bag or a plastic bottle. The cutting is placed in a dark place with a temperature of 18 to 20 degrees. Roots form 8–10 days after planting. Immediately after the roots appear, coleus can be planted in a pot or open soil.

Coleus care

The main thing that is required coleus care– abundant watering, especially in summer time of the year. It is advisable to irrigate with settled water; to provide yourself with the proper amount of this type of liquid, you can install a tub or barrel in the garden where tap or rain water will be placed.

After watering, you should loosen the soil and remove weeds from it. It is recommended to cut coleus several times during the summer season to ensure greater bushiness.

Pictured is Coleus "Black Dragon"

In order to speed up the growth of leaves and the flowering process, it is recommended to feed the plant weekly with nitrogen fertilizers. After flowering begins, you should immediately get rid of the peduncles, as they will take away vitality from the plant.

In the case when the coleus is placed in a pot, the care features are the same. The only thing you need to do is replace nitrogen fertilizers to complex ones.

In the summer season, it is recommended to spray the plant daily, but it is advisable to perform these actions in a dark place. If the flower is not an ornamental flowering plant, you should immediately remove the buds that appear, as they draw the vitality of the plant.