Is Coleus Flowering?

Flowers

• Coleus plants produce spikes of blue or white flowers in late summer. The flowers are small and insignificant. Most gardeners grow coleus for its foliage, rather than the flowers. If you allow coleus to flower and produce seeds, the plant's growth will slow and it will decline and eventually die.

Management

• You can allow coleus to flower, but to keep your plant growing vigorously, it's best to pinch off the flower buds as soon as they appear. Sterile plants taken from cuttings have fewer flowers than those grown from seed. Plants purchased at a nursery are probably taken from cuttings, but it's a good idea to ask.

Uses

• Coleus is often used as a filler plant in pots and baskets. Trailing varieties, such as "Trailing Bleeding Heart" ( Solenostemon scutellarioides "Trailing Bleeding Heart") are especially suited for this purpose. You can also tuck coleus into shady areas at the edge of your flower beds or under trees. The plants grow quickly to reach their mature size in three or four weeks. Plant a single coleus variety or plant several varieties. Newer varieties, such as "Alabama Sunset" (Solenostemon scutellarioides "Alabama Sunset") tolerate full sun and heat.

Varieties

• If you want to grow coleus for its flowers, simply plant an older variety from seed and allow it to bloom. If, like most gardeners, though, you'd prefer to avoid flowers, there are several hybrid varieties available that produce few, if any, blooms. These plants come in brilliant colors and need less maintenance because they don't require pinching back to remove flowers. Two worth trying include "Pineapple" (Solenostemon scutellarioides "Pineapple"), which has chartreuse leaves with burgundy stems, and "Burgundy Sun" (Solenostemon scutellarioides "Burgundy Sun"), which has rich burgundy leaves.

Care

• Coleus is a cinch to grow. Set out transplants in the spring, after the last frost. Whether grown in-ground or in pots, coleus needs rich, well-draining soil. Water it so that the soil remains moist, but not soggy. Coleus should be pinched back frequently to encourage compact, bushy growth. Even with pinching, some varieties can grow to 3 feet tall. Fertilize coleus every four weeks with 1/2 tablespoon granular, all-purpose plant food diluted in 1 gallon water or dilute package directions by half.