Coleus scutellarioides
Coleus scutellarioides (Coleus) Care Guide
Featured photocoleus-scutellarioides.jpgColeus scutellarioides, sold as Coleus, is a fast-growing colourful foliage plant. A south-east Asian Lamiaceae shrub with broad ovate leaves displayed in dramatic combinations of red, pink, yellow, green, and burgundy depending on the cultivar. Reaches 60 cm tall and propagates almost trivially from cuttings. Like most members of the cultivated colourful-foliage group it grows fast, propagates readily from cuttings, and stays vivid in bright filtered light.
Care facts at a glance
- Light
- Bright indirect
- Water
- Water when the top 2 cm of mix has dried.
- Humidity
- 40–60 %
- Temperature
- 16–27 °C
- Soil
- Free-draining houseplant mix with peat or coir and perlite.
- Origin
- Specific origins vary by species — Cordyline from south-east Asia / Pacific, Plectranthus and Coleus from Africa and Asia, Iresine from the Americas.
- Mature size
- 30 to 100 cm tall depending on species.
Overview
Coleus scutellarioides is grown for its colourful foliage rather than for flowers. A south-east Asian Lamiaceae shrub with broad ovate leaves displayed in dramatic combinations of red, pink, yellow, green, and burgundy depending on the cultivar. Reaches 60 cm tall and propagates almost trivially from cuttings. Most colourful-foliage indoor plants tolerate considerable neglect, root rapidly from cuttings, and stay vivid in bright filtered light.
Care Priorities
- Bright filtered light keeps colour vivid.
- Pinch growing tips regularly to encourage branching.
- Water when the top of the mix dries; tolerates brief drought.
- Refresh from cuttings every two years — older plants tend to bare at the base.
Common Problems
Pale washed-out colour signals insufficient light. Bare leggy stems are normal in old plants — restart from cuttings. Aphids cluster on growing tips and dislodge with a strong water spray.
Sources & further reading (2)
- encyclopedia — accessed 2026-04-29
- botanical-garden — accessed 2026-04-29
Frequently asked questions
Why are the leaves so colourful?
Coleus leaves carry intense anthocyanin pigmentation that produces the dramatic red, pink, and burgundy patterns selected by horticulture. The species itself is genetically primed for variation — even seedlings from a single parent show wide colour diversity, which is why cultivars are propagated vegetatively rather than from seed.
Why is the colour fading?
Loss of leaf colour signals insufficient light — most colourful foliage plants need bright filtered light to keep pigmentation vivid. Move to a sunnier spot and the new growth comes back colourful within a few weeks.
Can I root cuttings in water?
Yes — cuttings of most colourful-foliage plants root readily in water. Cut a healthy stem section with at least two nodes and stand it in a glass of water. Roots typically emerge within 1 to 2 weeks.
