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Writer's pictureajay devmurari
Dec 27, 20225 min read

Coleus Indoor Plant

Updated: May 1

  • These can be known by different names such as painted nettle or poor man’s croton, depending on where you’re located, but these spectacular plants go by the botanical name of Coleus around the gardening community.

  • These plants have the most beautiful leaves or foliage in stunning color combinations. These wide varieties of plants of different leaf size and shapes come in colors like green, yellow, pink, red, maroon, etc. So if you are looking to add colors to your dark and boring house corners, but are not sure of having flowers in your garden, coleus is your answer.

  • These tropical plants make a bold impression in beds, borders, and containers, with vibrant pinks to gloomy dark maroons in an almost limitless variety of patterns. They're also simple to grow.


  • They may be cultivated as perennials, making them ideal for new gardeners. Plants in the Coleus genus, which are members of the mint family Lamiaceae, are linked to kitchen garden herbs such as basil, sage, and marjoram, and they display their brilliant foliage from spring through first frost.

  • The majority of kinds prefer to be in the shade and only get a little morning sun.

  • Growing and propagating Coleus is easy and the cutting of these plants can be started even in a glass of water. These foliage beauties require fertile, moist and well-draining soil to grow at their best. They love the partial shade, but few varieties can also tolerate sun.

  • These plants grow rapidly and hence are a great pick if you are looking to design your garden space in less time.

  • When planted together, coleus can be great as bedding plants. When grown on patios, window boxes, containers or even when tucked into hanging baskets these vividly colored plants can be a spectacle.

  • The growth of a plant involves several stages.

  • Fast, a plot of land is selected. The land is next dug well with the help of the spade. The soil is ground into dust and manure both biological and the chemical is added to the soil. Then seeds are collected from the market and sown on the bed.

  • A very thin layer of soil is put all over the bed. The bed is next covered with a layer of straw and watered either with a sprinkler or in some other way. After a few days, the cover is removed and new shoots would be found coming up.

  • The growing weeds are then removed from time to time. Foliage branches are seen spreading and the plants start growing fast. At last, each of these saplings is transferred to new places.


  • Coleus Care

  • Members of the coleus genus are hardy and attractive plants available in a wide range of sizes and colors. Some varieties grow like small bushes, making them inappropriate for indoor locations, while many other varieties thrive indoors in pots under the right conditions, which includes ample light and humidity.

  • Although the growing guidelines described here make it possible to grow coleus indoors year-round, coleus is often grown as an annual and discarded once it becomes leggy

  • Coleus have gained their popularity as beautiful garden and landscape plants, but they are grown as annuals in all growing zones except USDA hardiness zone 11 because they are incredibly intolerant of frost and cold temperatures. Because of this, they are gaining popularity as indoor-grown container plants.

  • When growing plants in your home, provide the following growing conditions to promote strong, healthy plants.

  • Light


  • Coleus plants love bright light though it's best to avoid direct midday sunlight, which can scorch the delicate leaves. Your best bet is to find a windowsill or other spot in your home that gets direct sunlight in the morning and bright, filtered like in the afternoon. It will be a bit of a balance—too much sun can fade the plant's colorful foliage, but too little can lead to less-than-vibrant hues.

  • Soil For Coleus Plant Care Indoors

  • Coleus plants prefer a soil that drains quickly and provides good aeration to the roots. Due to this most “all-purpose” commercial potting soils are suitable. Avoid anything specifically formulated for a given plant type such as acid-loving plants or succulents.

  • Commercial potting soils are actually a “soilless” mix of peat moss, coconut coir, pine bark, and either perlite or vermiculite. Avoid using straight coconut coir or sphagnum peat moss in your containers; they retain too much water. To improve the drainage rate of the potting soil you can add extra perlite.

  • Water

  • It's important that you keep the soil of your coleus plants continuously moist throughout the year, though you can typically reduce your watering cadence in the winter months. A coleus plant's soil should never be allowed to dry out. To check and see if your plant is ready for a shower, stick your finger into the surface of the soil about two inches deep—if the soil you touch is dry, it's time for watering.

  • Temperature and Humidity

  • Coleus plants prefer an average temperature above 60 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. In winter, they can tolerate a slightly lower temperature, though they should always be kept about 50 degrees Fahrenheit. High humidity is also preferred by the coleus, so try keeping your plant in a typically-humid room of the home, like the kitchen or bathroom. Otherwise, you can increase humidity by lightly misting the plant a few times a week (especially if it's looking droopy) or investing in a small space humidifier.

  • Fertilizer

  • Though not a true necessity, coleus plants can benefit from feeding each spring with slow-release pellets, or weekly during their growing season with liquid fertilizer.

  • Coleus Varieties

  • There are over 60 species of coleus, most native to Asia and Malaysia. However, virtually all of the coleus available are derived from the single plectranthus scutellarioides species, crossed with a few other species. Hybridizing work within this group has been extensive—there are literally hundreds, if not thousands, of cultivars. At the end of the day, you should buy coleus for its foliage and not worry too much about its parentage.

  • Common Pests and Diseases

  • Like any houseplant, the coleus is suspectable to a few pests and diseases, though no more so than is normal. The biggest issue is root rot, which can result from soil that doesn't drain well, or a pot that doesn't boast drainage holes. Beyond that, your coleus plant may also become afflicted with downy mildew, which is caused by excess humidity and can be spread by nearby plants.

  • When it comes to pests, you may spot the occasional sign of mealybugs, aphids, or spider mites on your plant. To treat these pests, you have a few options. You can either soak a pad with rubbing alcohol and remove them from the leaves with that, spray the plant with water and diluted soap, or treat the plant with a natural insecticide, like neem oil .

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