Coleus - planting and care at home, photo species and varieties

Plant photo

Coleus - an evergreen herbaceous plant of the Labretaceous family. Under natural conditions, grows on the island of Java, found in the humid tropical forests of Africa and Asia. A shrub 30 to 55 cm high is easy to grow at home. The plant develops intensively.

Coleus is a perennial shrub, but periodically it needs rejuvenation. Sometimes grown in gardens as an annual plant. Blooms in late spring with small blue flowers. They must be removed on time, without fear that the plant will lose its decorative effect. Beauty consists of elegant variegated leaves, and flowers spoil the presentable appearance of the bush and weaken its growth.

	A small coleus stalk planted in the ground takes on the size of an adult plant in one season.
	Blooms in late spring with small blue flowers.
	The plant is grown easily.
	Perennial.

Beneficial features

Photo of a coleus in a pot

Used in folk medicine to accelerate metabolic processes in the body. The variety Coleus Forskolii contains Forskolin. The substance activates the gastrointestinal tract, normalizes metabolism; promotes the absorption of vitamins and nutrients, fat burning.

Based on it, dietary supplements and medicines are produced. Essential oils calm the nerves and activate the brain. Elegant bushes with variegated foliage evoke positive emotions.

Features of growing at home. Briefly

Coleus grows well at home. It can easily be grown by a beginner grower if he creates the necessary conditions for the flower:

Temperature	In winter - not lower than + 12 ° C, the rest of the time - +15 - 25 ° C.
Air humidity	Medium the bush can not be sprayed (droplets of water falling on the leaves deprive them of decorativeness), only the air around the plant is sprayed; the bush is kept in a pan with moistened pebbles.
Lighting	At least 4 hours a day of bright sunlight to maintain foliage decorativeness; shade from midday light.
Watering	Watch the soil: it must always be moist; watered in the winter in moderation; keep on a pallet with wet expanded clay.
Priming	1) Take in equal doses sheet land, peat, turf land, perlite (sand); 2) a portion of peat-sand mixture, 2 servings of humus and 4 servings of leaf and sod land.
Fertilizer and fertilizer	From mid-April to mid-October, watered with liquid fertilizer 2 to 4 times a month.
Transfer	At any time of the year, when the roots cover the earth in a pot; usually after 2.5 years.
Coleus breeding	Rooting cuttings in water or wet sand; sowing seeds in sand (without deepening).
Growing Features	Caring for a plant does not cause much trouble, but there are some features of growing coleus. So that the bush is symmetrical, does not stretch, it is periodically turned over on the windowsill, substituting to the light from different sides. In spring, the shoots are shortened to 10 cm, and pinch the young shoots so that the bush is more magnificent.

Coleus care at home. In detail

Usually, the coleus flower develops well at home. But in order for him to please for a long time with his patterned foliage and peppy look, you need to know some subtleties of caring for the plant.

Landing

Coleus planting plays an important role in shaping a beautiful and healthy plant. Planted in the warm season. At the bottom of the pot lay a layer of expanded clay for drainage. Pour loose soil having a slightly acidic or neutral reaction. They make a hole, water it, and when the soil "drinks" water, they put it in the hole.

Spread the roots, firmly press the soil to them. The soil is poured so that the root is covered with it, the growth point is not covered, and about 1.5 cm remains to the upper edge of the container (it will be more convenient to care for the flower). Water and mulch with a coconut substrate or sphagnum. After planting, the plant is kept in a shaded place for several days.

Bloom

Bloom coleus occurs in late spring. Small buds appear on the top of the plant, which in a few days turn into panicles of lilac, blue or lilac color. Small nondescript flowers give the plant a sloppy appearance and weaken its growth.

Therefore, often panicles are immediately removed. When the coleus ejects the arrow after flowering, it is immediately removed so that the flower does not stop growing. Pinching the apical point stimulates the flowering and splendor of the bush.

Temperature mode

So that the flower can delight for a long time with its variegated foliage and feel good, observe the temperature regime. In winter, the thermometer should not fall below + 12 ° C, at other times the plant is kept at + 15 - 25 ° C.

Indoor coleus grows very quickly, loves fresh air, so often plants in flowerpots are put on balconies, terraces, in the garden and placed on the western or eastern side of the site, closed from the prevailing wind. In cool time, the flower is brought into the house. He likes a stable temperature without sudden jumps. Cooling slows the growth of the flower, destroys the beauty of the leaves.

Spraying

Coming from the hot tropics, home coleus appreciates humidity and does not tolerate dry air in the room. Spraying helps to deal with this. The flower itself cannot be sprayed: water that has fallen on leaves leaves spots on them, reduces decorativeness.

Spray several times a day the air around the plant. Coleus is set on a pallet with moistened pebbles, making sure that the roots of the plant do not come into contact with water.

Lighting

He loves bright, but diffuse lighting. Everything should be in moderation. From direct bright rays of the sun, the bush stops growing, its leaves burn out, get burns. Therefore, the coleus in room conditions is best placed in places where it will receive the necessary dose of light, while the solar exposure will not be too aggressive. Suitable places for a flower would be windows facing west or east.

On the south side, the plant is shaded from bright noonday light, and on the north side, fluorescent lamps are installed. The variegated Coleus needs more light than green.

Watering

Watering is important for the growth and development of a flower. In winter, Coleus is rarely watered - when the surface of the substrate dries. The rest of the time the soil is always maintained moist. For irrigation use settled warm water.

Water carefully, without falling on the leaves. Sometimes the water can be slightly acidified with lemon juice or acid (3-5 drops or 0.2 g per liter of water) so that the leaves are bright. For the same purpose, hydrogen peroxide is used (20 ml of the drug is dissolved in 1 liter of water). It is useful to keep the flower on a pallet with wet pebbles to maintain humidity of the air and soil.

Pot

The coleus pot is selected according to the size of the flower. First, the plant is planted in a small pot with a diameter of 5 - 9 cm. As the bush grows (and it grows rapidly), the diameter of the container increases.

A prerequisite for choosing a pot is a sufficient depth (about 15 cm) for the roots to develop unhindered.

Drainage holes should be made at the bottom.

Priming

The soil for coleus needs loose and fertile, having a neutral or slightly acidic reaction. A universal soil mixture for home flowers is well suited for him. You can make the substrate yourself by taking 4 servings of leaf and turf land, 3 servings of humus, 1 serving of peat and sand.

The second version of the soil - from equal portions of sheet land, sand (perlite), peat and sod land. Coal powder, coconut substrate, brick chips, chopped moss can be added to any mixture.

Fertilizer and fertilizer

For active growth and maintaining the decorativeness of foliage, feeding and fertilizing coleus are needed. Only root dressings are applicable. From mid-April to mid-October flower fed 2 to 4 times a month twice diluted universal mineral fertilizer for home plants.

You can periodically "treat" the plant with potassium, which he loves. As a source of potassium, you can use extracts of banana peels, add ash to water for irrigation. All dressings are carried out in the evening after watering. In winter, the plant is not fertilized. After the transplant, 2 weeks should pass, only then top dressing resume.

Transfer

Coleus transplantation is carried out at any time of the year when its roots will envelop an earthen lump. This usually happens after 2, 5 years, but the older the flower, the less often it is transplanted. In adult bushes, only the top layer of the substrate is freshened (about 5 cm).

When replanting a plant, they pick up a new, more capacious, pot with holes for drainage. Often grown as an annual plant, propagated by cuttings, in this case, the need for transplantation disappears.

Pruning

Coleus is trimmed once a year, in spring. The procedure helps to slow down the growth of the flower and increase the number of side shoots and leaves. The lush bush resulting from pruning will be easy to shape.

The shoots are cut off, leaving low (up to 10 cm) hemp. Remove weak and elongated shoots during the winter, damaged leaves. Strong cuttings for reproduction are cut from the top.

Rest period

Coleus dormancy falls in the winter. Prepare the plant for it in advance, gradually reducing watering and top dressing. At this time, it is advisable to keep it in a pan with moistened pebbles. It is watered very rarely, waiting for the top layer of the substrate to dry. Feeding is not carried out.

The plant is kept at + 12 ° C; a lower temperature is detrimental to the flower.

Breeding

Reproduction of coleus at home is carried out using cuttings and sowing seeds.

Coleus propagation by cuttings

Propagation by cuttings is especially popular.

• In spring, cuttings with no flowers or buds are cut from the top of the coleus.
• The cut points are sprinkled with charcoal powder.
• Cuttings up to 10 cm long are placed in a wet peat-sand mixture, deepening by 2.5 cm.
• Cover with a cropped plastic bottle, making holes on it.
• Rooted at + 20 ° C. The cap is removed to ventilate and water.
• Usually, roots appear after 14 days. Then the stalk is transplanted into a separate pot.

Growing Coleus from Seeds

Reproduction by seeds is less popular, but it is possible if you buy seeds (they do not have time to ripen at home). Use a shallow container. Seeds are sown in a wet peat-sand mixture, leaving a distance of 3-5 mm between them. Sprinkle lightly with soil and spray from a spray bottle. Cover with a film, which is then removed for watering and airing. In 12 days, friendly shoots will appear. Seedlings dive into individual pots when 3 leaves appear on them. When the seedlings grow to 15 cm, they are transplanted into a separate pot.

When the Coleus is propagated by seeds, many young sprouts die, the varietal properties of the plant are lost, so this method is not popular.

Diseases and Pests

Adequate plant care can protect it from many problems. But sometimes for reasons beyond the control of care, external reasons can infect diseases and pests. This can be immediately noticed by seeing the signs:

• lower leaves fall - lack of moisture and light, in winter - a natural process (water, rearrange in a warm place);
• leaves wither and fall - lowering the temperature to + 12 ° C (rearrange in a warm place);
• leaves lose turgor - lack of moisture (put the flower in the bag in a bucket of water; adjust watering);
• leaves fade - little light (rearrange in a brighter place);
• leaves coleus turn yellow and fall - poor drainage, waterlogging of the soil (change the soil and transplant into another pot, adjust watering, increase drainage);
• dry leaf tips - low humidity, insufficient watering (spray the air around the flower, put it in a tray with wet expanded clay; water well);
• the leaves are completely fallen - hypothermia or draft (rearrange in a warm, sheltered from the wind place);
• there are light spots on the leaves - excess light (shade);
• slow growth - lack of nutrients (feed);
• stalks turn black and rot - poor drainage, excess moisture (transplant, strengthen drainage, adjust watering);
• the edges of the leaves turn brown - little moisture and dry air (pour, put the pot in a tray with wet expanded clay, spray the air around the flower);
• yellow spots on the leaves - sunburn (remove damaged leaves, well pritenit flower);
• elongated shoots - the plant is time to rejuvenate and pinch; little light (shorten the shoots, pinch; rearrange in a lighter place).

Affected by pests: spider mites, whiteflies, mealybugs.

Types of indoor coleus with photos and names

There are up to 150 species common in the natural environment. As a home plant, mainly varieties and types of polyhybrid type, based on Coleus Blume (Coleus blumei x hibridus).

There are many such varieties, but there are features that unite them: erect tetrahedral stems and velvety oval leaves located in the opposite way. The most popular are low (19 - 29 cm) and medium (31 - 51 cm) varieties.

Low Coleus Varieties

Carefree series

The height of lush bushes is from 25 to 30 cm. The corrugated sheet plate. The color of the leaves can be different: from classic burgundy in different shades, to extravagant brown-green with lilac inserts.

Fairway F1 Series

A feature of plants of this type is that they form a well-branched compact bush up to 20 cm high. Spectacular motley plants with large velvety leaves. The color is bright. Keeps decorative for a long time. Late flowering.

Wizard series

Plants of this species look like compact bushes up to 25 cm high, with velvety burgundy leaves with serrated edges. The pattern or thin border of the sheet plate is pastel colored. Often the leaves have a golden, orange or mosaic color and a thin pastel edging.

Medium grades

Black dragon

Plants of this species reach 30 - 35 cm. They differ from all species in the darkest color of leaves. Brown leaves with a violet hue with red veins, strongly corrugated edges. Sometimes with a pale pink core. They can grow in the shade and in the sun.

Kong series

Powerful, highly branched bushes 30 to 35 cm high. Rapid growth of large variegated leaves. Do not lose brightness in the shade. Leaf color: green with creamy veins, bright green with red and creamy veins, maroon with a green edge, dark pink with a green edge. They quickly fade in the sun. Planted along the edges of the compositions.

Coleus is a rare plant that combines the beauty of bright juicy leaves and exceptional unpretentiousness. The flower is suitable for growing in the garden and at home, landscaping parks and squares. Everywhere it will become a worthy adornment of space. Therefore, coleus is becoming more and more popular every year.

Watch the video: How to grow Coleus Plant Care and How to Propagate from Cuttings. Coleus cuttings - English (May 2024).