Coleus

Coleus Care

Solenostemon

What is the plant

It is an easy-to-care plant that grows up to 11.8-13.7 in(30-35 cm). The plant's main attraction is the leaves with various colors in the form of spots and stripes. Coleus blooms, throwing up a panicle with small nondescript flowers.

Kropivka is the colloquial name of the plant. The name came from the expressive shape of the leaves. This plant will not survive the winter in the garden, but it grows for a long time in the apartment and is not whimsical. This is because, in nature, it lives in Asia and Africa, where, as we know, the climate is hot, and there are no frosts.

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Humidity

Normal

Lighting

Part Sun

Temperature

15°C - 20°C

Hardiness zone

10a - 12b

Difficulty

Medium

Hibernation

Cold Period

Toxicity

Poisonous

How to Care for the Plant

Water
Coleus is watered abundantly as the top layer of the substrate dries. Water should be settled and slightly warm. In winter, you need to moderately water the plant and, at the same time, prevent the soil from drying out.
Pruning
The plant does not need mandatory pruning. It is worth cutting off some of the leaves if it begins to bend.
Fertilizer
Mineral and organic fertilizers will be suitable during active growth, preferably potash once a week. In winter, reduce the concentration of the solution by half and fertilize once every 3-4 weeks.

Disease diagnosis

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Sunlight
This plant is very photophilous, but it is not desirable to get direct sunlight. An excess of light will make the foliage variegated.
Soil
Coleus is not demanding. But it would be best to have loam soil with a high organic matter.
Propagation
Coleus is propagated by seeds and, mainly, by cuttings to avoid splitting and loss of decorative leaves. They are sown from February to April and sprinkled with sand.

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Temperature
It prefers temperatures around 60˚F (15°C) in summer. The winter temperature should not be lower than 50 ˚F (10°C).
Container
Wide but shallow containers are suitable for seeds. However, since Coleus are not very picky, you can use a small container when planting and, with growth, transplant it into a larger container.
Fun fact
With the help of water and food coloring, you can change the color of the leaves of Coleus. When watering with colored water, you can see how the liquid rises along the transparent stem.