How to Take Care of a Coleus Flower

Beautiful, colorful coleus.

Coleus blumei, also known as Solenostemon scutellarioides and painted nettle, is a low-maintenance annual that is prized for its colorful foliage. The leaves of the coleus flower plant may be combinations of green, pink, yellow, red or maroon, depending on the variety. Though coleus does bloom, most gardeners consider its homely flowers detrimental to the plant and they pluck them. Growing coleus is a simple task that adds a splash of color to your home landscape.

Things You'll Need

• Garden hose or watering can
• Water-soluble fertilizer
• Pruning shears

Instructions

1. Water your coleus flower plant as often as necessary to keep its soil moist for the first 10 days after planting. Continue to water the plant once or twice a week. Allow the top inch of soil to dry between waterings.

2. Fertilize your coleus flower plant three times during the growing season to ensure that it has the nutrients it needs to thrive. Fertilize with a half-strength solution of water-soluble fertilizer in June, July and August. Apply the fertilizer according to package instructions for best results.

3. Pinch off a few new shoots on young coleus flower plants to encourage them to produce more foliage. Remove the coleus clippings from your flower bed and dispose of them.

4. Cut off the flowers that appear on your coleus flower plant in the late fall to extend the life of your plant, if desired. If you allow the flowers to remain on your coleus, they will go to seed and your plant might die prematurely.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider taking a few cuttings from your Coleus flower plant before it is killed by the first frost of the fall.

• Monitor your coleus flower plant for problems with aphids and whitefies. Treat the plant with an garden insecticide product, if necessary.

References

• University of Florida: Coleus x hybridus Coleus
• University of Illinois: Coleus
• Clemson University: Coleus

Resources

• Calyx Flowers: Coleus Care Information