How to Make a Coleus Topiary

Intolerant of frost, coleus (Solenostemon scuttelarioides) is usually grown as a summer foliage plant in the United States. However, in tropical climates, coleus grows year round and develops into a woody-stemmed shrub. Fast-growing and succulent in young tissues, the coleus may be trained through pinching and pruning to attain a basic geometrical shape. It is a tedious process initially, as the strength of the coleus plant improves only when the stems change from soft green tissue to sturdier, tan and woodlike.

Bypass pruners
1/4- to 1/2-inch-wide bamboo stake
Narrow twine or plastic plant ties

Instructions

- 1
  Purchase a healthy container-grown coleus plant that has an upright, bushy habit. Choose a plant that already has a strong central leader -- a straight stem in the center of the plant. The size, shape or color of the leaves varies among cultivars; select one that suits your aesthetic.
- 2
  Remove all side stems from the coleus plant so only the one central leader stem remains. Clip off the side stems with a handheld bypass pruners flush with their connection to the base of the main central leader or their origin from the soil.
- 3
  Pinch off any leaves that may line the bottom half of the central leader's stem. Retain the foliage and any stems that occur in the top half of the central leader, as these leaves photosynthesize light and fuel the necessary growth of the plant into a future topiary form.
- 4
  Insert a 1/4- to 1/2-inch wide bamboo stake, ranging in length from 12 to 24 inches, carefully downward adjacent to the central leader once it begins to mature into a tan, woody stem. Push the stake into the soil, avoiding damaging or cutting any plant roots as it penetrates downward. Once in the soil, the top of the stake should be taller than the central leader stem, but shorter than the uppermost reach of the leaves and branches.
- 5
  Tie the lowest, sturdiest parts of the central leader stem onto the bamboo stake. Use narrow twine or pieces of plastic plant ties to support the bottom half of the coleus on the stake. Don't tie too tightly, as you risk snapping the coleus stem or restricting the vascular tissue as the plant grows.
- 6
  Water the coleus as needed to keep it growing, rotating the container-grown plant 90 degrees weekly so all sides receive ample light.
- 7
  Pinch back the succulent green stems in the top half of the central leader with your fingertips or the bypass pruners. Make the pinching cut 1/4-inch above a lower set of leaves. New leaves and stems later develop from the dormant buds at the base of remaining leaves.
- 8
  Continue to remove any leaves or stem shoots that emerge from the plant base or from the bottom half of the central leader stem.
- 9
  Prune off coleus branches in the top half of the coleus atop the staked central leader as needed to create a rounded canopy of foliage. Continue to pinch stem tips to encourage new lower leaves and canopy bushiness.

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