How to Grow Coleus: The Ultimate Foliage Plant for Sun or Shade

Many new coleus varieties, like Sunset Boulevard, feature warm colors.

From the National Gardening Bureau

Garden designers know annuals aren't just about flowers—foliage matters too. And for foliage, coleus tops the list. Though it's fallen in and out of favor over centuries, this mint family member is popular again with better selection than ever.

Sun-Tolerant Varieties

Look for "sun-tolerant" labels. Recommendations:

• Stained Glassworks varieties
• Wizard series
• Versa series
• Marquee series

Good in Shade and Part-Sun

• ColorBlaze series
• Fairway series
• Superfine Rainbow series
• Main Street series
• Kong series

Breeders now focus beyond color combinations on: sun tolerance, delayed flowering, more prolific branching, and special growth habits (compact, trailing).

How to Choose

Variability is amazing: solid colors, splashes, blotches, streaks, flecks, margins, veins. Color intensity varies with sunlight, heat sensitivity. "Sun coleus" tolerates more sun. Dark-leaved varieties handle more sun; lighter varieties need more shade to prevent leaf scorch. Morning sun with dappled afternoon shade maintains consistent color. Too little light yields weak stems and poor color.

Leaf texture varies: large, small, twisted, elongated, scalloped, lobed, finger-like, "duck's foot" (resembling webbed feet).

Burgundy Wedding Train is a trailing form, ideal for hanging baskets.

Coleus forms: upright, rounded, trailing. Frequent pinching/trimming modifies form, though trailing varieties excel at planter edges and hanging baskets.

Planting and Care

Best leaf color: morning sun with afternoon shade. Many varieties thrive in both shade and part-sun. Some tolerate significant sun if not allowed to dry out. Avoid overly damp soils (causes leaf drop, disease). Plant after frost danger passes when soil warms and evenings stay above 60°F. Feed regularly with water-soluble fertilizer, especially in containers.

Pinch back every few weeks to prevent flowering and maintain form. Pinch just above a leaf set or branching junction—don't leave stubs. Some gardeners keep small flowers, but pinching directs energy to stems and foliage. Plants allowed to flower may lose vigor from seed production.

Getting More Plants

Starting from seed is easy. Sow indoors 8-12 weeks before last frost. Seeds need light to germinate—sow on surface. Monitor water carefully. Use a seedstarting system and see How to Start Seeds.

Overwinter as houseplants: keep near 70°F. Rotate and pinch back. Use grow lights for adequate light.

Planting a single variety like Redhead creates dramatic effects.

Designing With Coleus

Use solid-color varieties (Redhead, Lime Delight Premium Sun—both sun-bred) for bold statements. Multicolored varieties create "color echoes" complementing neighboring plants. Repetition of colors/forms lends unity. Solitary specimens add color "punches"; mass planting increases impact. Light foliage illuminates shady spots; dark colors create depth and contrast.

Sedona (ColorBlaze series) thrives in shade/part-sun. Upright plants grow 24-30".

Coleus in Containers

Coleus excels in pots with free-draining soil, regular fertilizing, and proper sun. Avoid windy locations—prone to breakage. Feed regularly per package rates. Don't over-fertilize—reduces best color. Consider self-watering planters, especially in sun.

Trailing selections work well in hanging baskets. Compact types suit basket centers. Coleus are thirsty; hanging baskets dry fast—choose self-watering baskets.

Founded in 1920, the National Garden Bureau is a non-profit improving quality of life through increased seed and plant use.