Coleus is well-known for its ability to thrive in shady conditions, making it a popular choice for adding color to areas of the garden where many other plants struggle. Traditionally, most coleus grow in shade, but full shade often mutes their beautiful leaf color palettes. Fortunately, coleus also thrives in partial shade where their leaf colors are optimized.
But did you know there is a coleus species which can now thrive in full sun? ColorBlaze coleus plants are prized for the same stunning leaf colors, but now these beautiful plants can also take the heat in full sun conditions.
This year, I decided to try two ColorBlaze varieties: Rediculous and Golden Dreams. I planted Rediculous in patio planters next to the pool gazebo where it would face full sun and the full heat of the day. Next, I planted Golden Dreams in planters in part-sun in containers on my front porch. For both species, the original plant sizes were around 6 inches tall when I bought them. They were all planted on May 11.
Here’s what they look like on August 29th.
Golden Dreams
Rediculous
Rediculous
As you can see, both plant varieties have grown into 3-4-foot-tall beasts that required nothing more than frequent watering and x1/month fertilizing with Miracle Grow. Beautiful plants, aren’t they?
You may also notice in the photo of Rediculous I did not prune the plants and allowed them to flower. While many gardeners suggest you snip off flowers to encourage larger plants (e.g., energy from the plant can be directed toward growth vs. flower production), I felt the plants were already giants (and I wanted to see how big they would grow), plus, I was curious to see what the blooms looked like and what pollinators, if any, the flowers would attract. Well, for all you nature lovers out there, I am pleased to write that the flowers are pollinator magnets. Every day (and evening) the slender blooms of Rediculous are covered with honeybees, bumblebees, carpenter bees, several varieties of butterflies and moths, other small flying insects, and visiting hummingbirds. This was not the case with Golden Dreams, which is a flowerless variety. While it isn’t a great choice for pollinators, it is nevertheless a breathtaking plant.
I grew my coleus in containers where their striking foliage makes them stunning focus plants all on their own. But their variegated foliage also makes them a great choice for borders or in mixed plantings if you desire a splash of exotic leaf color.
Give coleus a try. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Happy Gardening!
