# How to Grow Solenostemon
The colorful, patterned foliage of Solenostemon appeals to many gardeners with its striking appearance and wide range of uses, but it is the plant's hardy nature and ease of growth that make it a perennial favorite. Commonly called coleus, plants of the genus Solenostemon are widely grown both as houseplants and outdoor ornamentals, where they take center stage with their dazzling chartreuse, purple and red foliage. Solenostemon grows effortlessly from seeds and cuttings, but cutting-propagated specimens will express the desirable traits of the parent plant most reliably.
Things You'll Need
- 4-inch starter pots
- Potting soil
- Plant mister
- Floral snips
Instructions
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How to Grow Solenostemon from Seeds
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1
Fill 4-inch starter pots with sterile potting soil to within 1/4 inch of the top. Firm the soil well. Sprinkle a 1/4-inch-thick layer of loosened soil on top.
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2
Sprinkle a small pinch of Solenostemon seed onto the loosened soil in each pot. Press the loosened soil to anchor the seeds but do not bury them.
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3
Mist each starter pot with water until the top 1/2 inch of soil is moistened. Maintain moisture at this level during the germination process.
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4
Set the starter pots on a warm, bright windowsill. Restrict direct sun exposure to no more than one hour each day.
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5
Watch for germination in two weeks. Thin the seedlings to two or three in each pot once they produce mature leaves. Remove the less vigorous seedlings.
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6
Transplant the Solenostemon seedlings into permanent pots or a partially shaded bed 10 weeks after sowing.
How to Grow Solenostemon from Cuttings
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7
Harvest a 3- to 4-inch-long cutting from the tip of a Solenostemon branch in the summer. Sever it below a pair of leaves using floral snips or by pinching the stem.
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8
Remove and discard the bottom set of leaves to reveal the growth nodes. Pull off the leaves rather than cutting them off.
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9
Pot the Solenostemon cutting in a 4-inch starter pot filled with sterile potting soil. Press the defoliated end of the stem into the soil until the bottom set of leaves rests on the soil surface.
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10
Pour 1/8 cup of water onto the soil around the base of the cutting. Maintain moisture at that level while the Solenostemon cutting forms roots.
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11
Place the pot on a warm, well-lighted windowsill with not more than two hours of direct sunlight each day.
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12
Check for roots in two weeks. Transplant the Solenostemon cutting into a permanent container or shaded bed one week after rooting.
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