“They’re in the mint family and share some features of the mint plant, like distinctive square stems and the ability to thrive just about anywhere,” says Lindsay Pangborn, a gardening expert at Bloomscape. Coleus plants have small, stacked leaves that can be bred to take on lots of attention-grabbing shades. This makes them popular picks for gardens and flower beds. As long as they’re getting enough heat, these prolific growers can turn any yard into a rainbow of fun colors and patterns. Once the last frost has passed and temperatures in your area are staying above 60 degrees Fahrenheit, you can plant your Coleus seedling or plant out in the garden. For full sun varieties, choose a spot that gets at least six hours of direct sun a day. Partial shade varieties can get away with three to six hours of direct sun daily. Place them in a spot that’s shielded from the wind if possible. After a few weeks in the ground, take your gardening gloves and a pair of shears and pinch back your flowers to encourage fuller growth. (Here’s a guide to how that’s done.) While they’re technically perennials, only those who live in USDA Hardiness Zones 11-13 (Hawaii and steamy regions in Southern California, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and Arizona) will be able to keep their coleus plants alive year after year. That’s because, once winter hits, most U.S. climates will be too cold for them. You can either let your coleus die off once it gets cold or keep them as container plants and carry them inside to stay for the winter. Indoors, aim to give them two to six hours of direct light daily and keep their surrounding temperatures around 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Don’t place them near vents or drafty windows; remember, this plant hates the cold! Satch notes that a warm sun porch would be a good spot for it to ride out the winter. The hotter and sunnier its surroundings, the more frequently your plant will need to be watered. “Loosen up the planting area first and amend the soil with some compost before planting,” Pangborn recommends. Compost (either homemade or store-bought) can balance out soil and help deliver enough water, air, and nutrients to your plants. “As soon as you see flower buds developing, pinch off the buds along with the top set or two of leaves,” she explains. “Coleus flowers are not particularly attractive, and as soon as the plant produces buds, it’s going to put all of its energy into flowering and developing seeds. That means energy is taken away from the colorful leaves, which will quickly become faded and tired-looking.” Emma received her B.A. in Environmental Science & Policy with a specialty in environmental communications from Duke University. In addition to penning over 1,000 mbg articles on topics from the water crisis in California to the rise of urban beekeeping, her work has appeared on Grist, Bloomberg News, Bustle, and Forbes. She’s spoken about the intersection of self-care and sustainability on podcasts and live events alongside environmental thought leaders like Marci Zaroff, Gay Browne, and Summer Rayne Oakes.
