{"id":19078,"date":"2024-01-26T10:00:44","date_gmt":"2024-01-26T08:00:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/pretoria\/?p=19078"},"modified":"2024-01-24T09:24:02","modified_gmt":"2024-01-24T07:24:02","slug":"coleus-for-high-impact-garden-colour","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getitmagazine.co.za\/pretoria\/blog\/2024\/01\/26\/coleus-for-high-impact-garden-colour\/","title":{"rendered":"Coleus for high impact garden colour"},"content":{"rendered":"

As foliage plants go, nothing beats easy growing Coleus for its exotic and brilliantly coloured leaves.<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Just like people, plants can re-invent themselves, and none more dramatically than coleus. Once\u00a0 regarded as purely a shade plant, the new generation of coleus thrive in sun or semi shade, with leaves that are bolder, bigger and just as vivid.<\/p>\n

The turnaround\u00a0 came with the introduction of Coleus \u2018Kong\u2019 with its huge, multicoloured leaves twice the size of normal coleus.\u00a0 Next in line was the Sun coleus range for growing in full sun or shade, making\u00a0 coleus a wonderfully versatile plant for gardens with neither full sun or shade but somewhere in between.<\/p>\n

The latest iteration is a range of low growing trailing coleus that acts as an exotically coloured groundcover for lush, tropical plantings.<\/p>\n

Of course, there is still the well-loved and traditional dwarf bedding coleus with smaller leaves that reach a garden height of 30 to 35cm.<\/p>\n

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Using Coleus in the garden<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Sun Coleus Captivate \u2018Redhead\u2019.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

With varieties ranging in height from 30cm up to 90cm, coleus can be used as border, bedding or background plants as well as feature plants in containers or as focal points in a mixed garden bed.<\/p>\n

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Groundcover coleus \u2018Trailblazer\u2019.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Shade tolerant varieties like the spreading \u2018Trailblazer\u2019 series, as well as the \u2018Wizard\u2019 bedding coleus and Coleus \u2018Kong\u2019 for shade are good companions for other shade lovers like impatiens \u2018Beacon\u2019, begonias and ferns. To lighten up shady areas use coleus with ivory, lime green or golden coloured leaves.<\/p>\n

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Sun Coleus Captivate \u2018 \u2018Coleosaurus\u2019.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For Sun coleus varieties, full morning sun is ideal, and plants can take some afternoon sun if watered more often. Use the vivid leaf colours and patterns to add colour to a predominantly foliage garden. Taller varieties work well as a backdrop for Sunpatiens.<\/p>\n

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Good to know<\/strong>: Drought and heat stressed plants bounce back remarkably well when watered well.<\/p>\n

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Growing requirements<\/strong><\/p>\n