Family: Lamiaceae
Author: (L.) Benth.
Bibliography: N.Wallich, Pl. Asiat. Rar. 2: 16 (1830)
Year: 1830
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Coleus
Vegetable: False
Observations: Indo-China to Nansei-shoto and N. Australia
Description
Coleus, scientifically known as Coleus scutellarioides, is a widely appreciated plant recognized for its vibrant and multicolored foliage. First introduced to the botanical world by N. Wallich in 1830 in his renowned work Plantae Asiaticae Rariores, this species has since gained widespread popularity among gardeners and horticulturists.
Native to regions spanning from Indo-China to Nansei-shoto and Northern Australia, the Coleus thrives in tropical and subtropical climates, where it is a common feature in many gardens and landscapes. The plant’s adaptability to various environments has allowed it to be cultivated around the world, particularly in ornamental garden settings.
Belonging to the family Lamiaceae, Coleus is closely related to other aromatic and medicinal plants within this family, although it is primarily prized for its aesthetic appeal. The leaves of Coleus are its most distinctive feature, often displaying a striking array of colors including reds, greens, yellows, and purples with intricate patterns. This kaleidoscope of colors makes it a standout in any plant collection.
Coleus plants are relatively easy to grow and are often used in borders, containers, and as ground covers. They prefer well-drained soil and moderate watering, along with partial shade to full sunlight depending on the climate. Propagation is commonly done through stem cuttings, allowing gardeners to easily share this beautiful plant with others.
Its decorative allure combined with ease of cultivation makes Coleus a favorite choice for both novice and experienced gardeners looking to add a splash of color and texture to their gardening projects.
Common Names
Eng: coleus, common coleus
En: Coleus, Painted-nettle
De: Buntblatt, Buntnessel
Pt: Coleus, Coração-magoado
Es: Macho, Nene
Sv: Palettblad
Synonyms
- Coleus pumilus (Blanco)
- Perilla nankinensis (Wender.)
- Plectranthus merrillii (H.Keng)
- Coleus laciniatus ((Blume) Benth.)
- Coleus scutellarioides var. gibbsiae ((S.Moore) Keng)
- Majana scutellariodes ((L.) Kuntze)
- Coleus berkeleyi (T.Moore)
- Majana blancoi ((Benth.) Kuntze)
- Coleus macranthus var. crispipilus (Merr.)
- Coleus blumei var. marshallii ((T.Moore) Rothsch.)
- Coleus secundiflorus (Benth.)
- Coleus formosanus (Hayata)
- Coleus multiflorus (Benth.)
- Plectranthus laciniatus (Blume)
- Plectranthus blumei ((Benth.) Launert)
- Coleus grandifolius (Benth.)
- Coleus verschaffeltii var. marmoratus ((W.Bull) André)
- Solenostemon blumei ((Benth.) M.Gómez)
- Coleus zschokkei (Merr.)
- Plectranthus nudiflorus ((Poir.) Willd.)
- Coleus gibsonii (J.J.Veitch)
- Coleus scutellarioides var. laciniatus ((Blume) Miq.)
- Calchas scutellarioides var. crispipilus ((Merr.) P.V.Heath)
- Coleus bellotii (Jacob-Makoy)
- Coleus blumei var. murrayi ((T.Moore) Rothsch.)
- Coleus telfordii (McPhail ex H.Laurentius)
- Majana scutellarioides var. atropurpureus ((Benth.) Kuntze)
- Coleus blumei (Benth.)
- Coleus rehneltianus (A.Berger)
- Coleus gibbsiae (S.Moore)
- Coleus hendersonii (Regel)
- Coleus pictus (Van Houtte)
- Solenostemon scutellarioides ((L.) Codd)
- Germanea nudiflora (Poir.)
- Coleus scutellarioides var. blumei ((Benth.) Miq.)
- Coleus scutellarioides var. celebicus (Miq.)
- Coleus thomasii (Jacob-Makoy)
- Coleus scutellarioides var. grandifolius ((Benth.) Keng)
- Plectranthus aromaticus (Roxb.)
- Coleus clarkei (T.Moore)
- Coleus macranthus (Merr.)
- Coleus ruckeri (T.Moore)
- Coleus scutellarioides var. integrifolius ((Elmer) Keng)
- Stenogyne fauriei (H.Lév.)
- Calchas acuminatus ((Benth.) P.V.Heath)
- Coleus atropurpureus (Benth.)
- Majana acuminata ((Benth.) Kuntze)
- Coleus murrayi (T.Moore)
- Coleus scutellarioides var. gracilis (Miq.)
- Coleus multicolor (J.H.Veitch ex Kellock)
- Coleus ingratus ((Blume) Benth.)
- Coleus atropurpureus var. densiflorus (Benth.)
- Coleus blumei var. pectinatus (C.Morren)
- Calchas scutellarioides var. angustifolia ((Benth.) P.V.Heath)
- Coleus atropurpureus var. javanicus (Benth.)
- Coleus atropurpureus var. ramosus (Benth.)
- Polypodium ovatum (Burm.f.)
- Coleus eureka (Anon.)
- Coleus scottii (T.Moore)
- Calchas crispipilus ((Merr.) P.V.Heath)
- Coleus bausei (T.Moore)
- Majana grandifolia ((Benth.) Kuntze)
- Majana scutellarioides var. blumei ((Benth.) Kuntze)
- Coleus acuminatus (Benth.)
- Coleus saundersii (T.Moore)
- Coleus reveesii (T.Moore)
- Coleus crispipilus ((Merr.) Merr.)
- Coleus scutellarioides var. crispipilus ((Merr.) H.Keng)
- Calchas atropurpureus ((Benth.) P.V.Heath)
- Coleus scutellarioides var. limnophilus (Benth.)
- Majana pumila ((Blanco) Kuntze)
- Coleus marmoratus (W.Bull)
- Coleus scutellarioides var. angustifolius (Benth.)
- Coleus verschaffeltii (Lem.)
- Majana multiflora ((Benth.) Kuntze)
- Calchas scutellarioides ((L.) P.V.Heath)
- Ocimum peltatum (Schweigg. ex Schrank)
- Coleus pubescens (Merr.)
- Coleus marshallii (T.Moore)
- Coleus scutellarioides ruber (Jacob-Makoy)
- Plectranthus ingratus (Blume)
- Coleus batemannii (T.Moore)
- Coleus scutellarioides var. ingratus ((Blume) Miq.)
- Coleus blumei var. telfordii ((McPhail ex H.Laurentius) Rothsch.)
- Coleus scutellarioides var. laxus (Benth.)
- Coleus gaudichaudii (Briq.)
- Coleus morletii (Jacob-Makoy)
- Majana secundiflora ((Benth.) Kuntze)
- Coleus hybridus (Cobeau)
- Coleus dixii (T.Moore)
- Coleus verschaffeltii var. splendens (Anon.)
- Coleus integrifolius (Elmer)
- Coleus igolotorum (Briq.)
- Coleus veitchii (Dombrain)
- Calchas scutellarioides var. limnophila ((Benth.) P.V.Heath)
- Coleus savannicola (K.Schum.)
- Coleus blancoi (Benth.)
- Plectranthus scutellarioides ((L.) R.Br.)
Distribution
- Bismarck Archipelago (native)
- Borneo (native)
- Cambodia (native)
- China Southeast (native)
- Jawa (native)
- Laos (native)
- Lesser Sunda Is. (native)
- Malaya (native)
- Maluku (native)
- Myanmar (native)
- Nansei-shoto (native)
- New Guinea (native)
- Northern Territory (native)
- Philippines (native)
- Queensland (native)
- Solomon Is. (native)
- Sulawesi (native)
- Sumatera (native)
- Taiwan (native)
- Thailand (native)
- Vietnam (native)
- Western Australia (native)
- Bangladesh (introduced)
- Belize (introduced)
- Caroline Is. (introduced)
- Colombia (introduced)
- Comoros (introduced)
- Cook Is. (introduced)
- Costa Rica (introduced)
- Dominican Republic (introduced)
- East Himalaya (introduced)
- Gilbert Is. (introduced)
- Guinea (introduced)
- Haiti (introduced)
- Hawaii (introduced)
- Honduras (introduced)
- Jamaica (introduced)
- Leeward Is. (introduced)
- Marianas (introduced)
- Marquesas (introduced)
- Marshall Is. (introduced)
- Mexico Southeast (introduced)
- Mexico Southwest (introduced)
- New Caledonia (introduced)
- Nicaragua (introduced)
- Niue (introduced)
- Panamá (introduced)
- Puerto Rico (introduced)
- Rwanda (introduced)
- Samoa (introduced)
- Society Is. (introduced)
- Tokelau-Manihiki (introduced)
- Tonga (introduced)
- Trinidad-Tobago (introduced)
- Tuamotu (introduced)
- Tubuai Is. (introduced)
- Venezuela (introduced)
- Venezuelan Antilles (introduced)
- Wake I. (introduced)
- Wallis-Futuna Is. (introduced)
- Windward Is. (introduced)
Additional Images
Leaf
Taken Oct 4, 2017 by Creu Lopez (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 18, 2019 by paroski Marli (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 30, 2017 by Miroslav Kraus (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 5, 2019 by Geraldine Magnan (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 6, 2019 by Ames Anto (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Oct 4, 2017 by Creu Lopez (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 25, 2018 by jose (cc-by-sa)
Taken Oct 4, 2017 by Creu Lopez (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 19, 2019 by valerie zubillaga (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 25, 2018 by jose (cc-by-sa)
Flower
Taken Nov 2, 2019 by Stefan Wiedegarth (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 25, 2018 by jose (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 25, 2018 by jose (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 20, 2019 by Julie Jones (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 25, 2018 by jose (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Sep 30, 2019 by Biinaa Trty (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 30, 2019 by Biinaa Trty (cc-by-sa)
Taken Dec 1, 2016 by Hugo SANTACREU (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 26, 2021 by Sabin Poenariu (cc-by-sa)
Taken Apr 3, 2021 by Rivera Constanza (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Jul 7, 2020 by Peter Peter Lee (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 23, 2019 by Christina Roach (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 19, 2019 by gorelli giorgio (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 4, 2022 by maciel thiago (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 28, 2019 by Mike A (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Jul 12, 2022 by Mayline Barbesant (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 29, 2019 by Ryan (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 11, 2022 by frédéric Sabah (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 17, 2020 by Barbosa Dayse (cc-by-sa)
Taken Nov 10, 2020 by Torres Sneyder (cc-by-sa)
Sources
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5341492)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:446165-1)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Plectranthus scutellarioides (L.) R.Br.)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/2927315)
Specifications
Growth
