Your experience.........Coleus

20 years ago

I have added a number of new coleus varieties to my collection this summer. My experience so far has been that a number of the varieties seem to be very slow growing. Some of the ones that are going "gangbusters" are: Inky Fingers, Pineapple prince, Solar Flare. Some of the slower growing are: Kiwi fern, and Alligator. Is this a matter of placement or just the nature of the particular plant. I have them all planted in the same soil mixture and have moved them periodically to more and less sun locations. I guess I just want them all to really thrive. Your experiences and thoughts would be appreciated.

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Comments (8)

Plumcrazy
20 years ago
I was given a coleus and I don't know the name of it. I like it due to all the Purple(fav color). I put it in the house. Thought it was mostly a indoor plant. Few weeks later it lost all of the purple coloring. So, I have put them back out side.......and the purple is coming back. Here is a picture of one before coming inside. Anyone know the name of it??
{{gwi:777533}}

Thanks
Plumcrazy
shade_tolerant
20 years ago
Nanahfor, I have some of the ones you mentioned and I think it is just the nature of the different varieties to be slow or fast growers. My kiwi fern never seems to get very big, this is it's second yesr with me and I put it outside every year.
Plumcrazy check out coleusfinder.org you can search by leaf color and look through their pix for a possible i.d.
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nanahfor
Original Author
20 years ago
Thank you Shade Tolerate. I had the feeling that some are just more slow-growing. Plum Crazy, the coleus finder site that Shade Tolerant suggested is great for id'ing and also Glasshouse Works, and Variations Greenhouse have alot of images to check out.
Sno38
20 years ago
Lovely colours. Sad to see them lose their colour. Sorry, I don't know the name of it, however, I notice the flowers. I have been told to pinch of the flowers when they appear, as they make the bush grow straggly if left on.
Sno in Aust
jakkom
20 years ago
I just posted a pix in the Foliage Gallery forum of a sun coleus 'Shocking Pink' that has been an outstanding performer in my garden. Eight months and it still is going strong. Photo was just taken a month ago but it still looks the same. A beautiful plant, I'm amazed at how it can really take full sun.
rusty_blackhaw
20 years ago
Some varieties are just sluggish growers. 'Othello' is one of these (in my experience).
mwedzi
20 years ago
I had two coleus plants in the same planter placed in my north facing window earlier this year and one of them grew and grew and is currently a monster in the basket while the other hardly grew at all and was, perhaps, outcompeted so just died. :-(
sleeplessinftwayne
20 years ago
The older varieties of Coleus did just fine as shade or indoor plants.The newer varieties with the fantastic, intense colors need more sunlight to maintain color and growth. You still need to remove the flowers or they will put all their energy into seed production.-Sandy