Coleus
Coleus scutellarioides · also called Painted nettle
Foliage and indoor
- Light
- Part sun, Shade or indoors
- Pot size
- Medium pot (about 5 to 15 litres)
- Care level
- Easy
- Year round or seasonal
- Kept year to year; in a pot, keep it above about 12.8 °C (55 °F)
- Pets
- ASPCA: toxic to pets
Light and position
Grows best in part shade and tolerates full shade; NC State says it may wilt in full sun.
Size and pot
NC State lists 6 inches to 3 feet. Our pot band: medium pot (about 5 to 15 litres).
Watering
Keep the soil moist; it is grown in rich, loose, well-drained mix.
Potting mix and feeding
Pinch the stem tips to keep plants bushy; the flowers are small and can be removed.
Growing through the year
Stem cuttings root easily in water or clean potting mix.
Winter outdoors
Cold limit in a pot: about 12.8 °C (55 °F). NC State says it may be used as a tender annual outdoors, and lists USDA zones 10a to 11b. For tender plants we follow NC State’s container chapter: bring them inside once nights drop to 55 °F.
| Your coldest winter nights | What to do |
|---|---|
| Coldest nights 15 °C or warmer | Can stay out through this winter |
| Coldest nights 10 to 15 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Coldest nights 5 to 10 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Coldest nights 0 to 5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Light frost: nights down to about −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
| Hard frost: nights below −5 °C | Move it to shelter before nights fall to 12.8 °C |
A plant can stay out only when its limit is below the coldest night in your band; a limit equal to that night counts as needing shelter. A rare cold snap, wind or a wet pot can still damage plants. We convert °F to °C with NIST’s formula.
Watch for
Aphids, whiteflies and spider mites, especially indoors. Leaves can irritate skin.
Pets and people
ASPCA lists coleus as toxic to dogs, cats and horses (essential oils). Its entry is filed under a related Coleus species; we apply it to this one as a precaution. Signs include vomiting, diarrhoea and depression.
General gardening information, not professional advice. Plant toxicity details are a starting point, not veterinary or medical advice: if a pet or child may have eaten a plant, contact a veterinarian or doctor promptly.
Care level: NC State’s maintenance rating (Low). Pot band and summary wording are ours, based on the sources below.