I have a destiny of shade in my garden , and sometimes I feel like it ’s a struggle to retrieve the right annuals to satisfy in the gap between my perennial and shrub . I wish intersperse annual into all my repeated border — sun and spectre alike — because they allow for near - constant color and are tight - arise . Angelwing begonias , impatiens and caladium are constants in my garden for this very reason . This year , however , I ’m peculiarly looking forward to expanding my options through some of the sport and funky coleus cultivars on the mart .
Former darlings of the square-toed garden , coleus have made their way back onto gardening ’s blistering lean . These members of the mint family come in an astonishing raiment of colors , sizes , growth habits and folio shapes — we have several unlike plant breeders to give thanks for it . Plus , many varieties are no longer bound by the shackles of shade . Many of today ’s choice perform beautifully even in full sun .
Coleus are suitable primarily for their amply colorful foliage . In fact , their blue peak spikes are fairly boring ( though the hummingbirds might reason with that ) . Take a variety call Darth Vader . This particular variety grows up to 2 fundament tall , enjoy full sun just as much as fond refinement , and has crazy , deep purple , fishgig - like leave with a ruffly pea green edging . And then there ’s Thumbelina . Standing at just at just 8 to 10 inch high at maturity , Thumbelina is covered in tiny , bright green leave of absence , each stamped with a red thumbprint in the midsection . And there ’s an awing raiment of beautiful possibilities everywhere in between . In fact , the specie has well over a thousand named cultivars !
In the 1980s the only flame nettle you could unremarkably find in greenhouse were grown from seeds . They were extremely varying , and though lovely in their own right , they were go out merely as a so - so , common place plant . Plenty of flame nettle are still grown from cum and many of the newer varieties are really terrific . Several common coleuses are develop from seed , admit Black Dragon , the Kong series , the Versa series , and the Fairway series . you may grow these and other seeded player flame nettle quite easily by get them indoors under light source in other March .
Then there are those varieties started from cuttings . Many of these cultivars are the result of one chance seedling that , either through selective breeding or simply by chance , features some unique trait . Because they were the result of cross - pollenation and hybridization ( whether intentional or not ) , there ’s no mode to recreate their unspoilt looks by save and planting seeds . alternatively , they must be vegetatively propagated through stem cuttings . This intend that every single Gay ’s Delight , El Brighto , Schizophrenia , Big Red Judy and all the other vegetatively propagated coleuses that exist in the universe today follow originally from just one mother seedling of that case . That ’s why coleus grown from cuttings are usually more expensive than those started from germ .
And one last affair : Some of my favorite coleus are give chase types , including Trailing Strawberry and Trailing Psycoleus . They gracefully topple over hanging baskets , retaining wall and decorative planters . I ’m also looking forward to growing some of the lemon - scandalmongering selections , including Moonglow and Lemon Twist , side - by - side with brilliant - orange Sedona and Copper Glow .
Check in next hebdomad to learn some tips for taking care of all the lovely coleus indisputable to detect a menage in your garden this do time of year .
