Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tree
Origin
Eastern Asia, Malaysia
Southeastern Asia, India
Types
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Saraca asoca
Number of Varieties
1501
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Subtropical climates, tropical environments
Forests, Subtropical forests
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-1210-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-10
Sunset Zone
-
H2
Habit
Bushy, Evergreen
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm850.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Yellow, Orange, Gold, Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Dark Red, Dark Salmon
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Green, Pink, Copper
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Purple
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Green, Purple
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Slow
Type of Soil
Damp
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
-
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering
Average Water Needs, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Ample Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Damp
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial shade
Partial shade
Pruning
cut main flower spike, Cut or pinch the stems
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Full-strength liquid fertilizer
organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Downy mildew, Red blotch, Stem rot
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Wet Site
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Fine
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes, Used for making hedges
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Weightloss
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Provides ground cover, Soil protection, soil stabilisation
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Asthma, Glaucoma, High blood pressure, Liver Protection, Weight loss
Bleeding, hemorrhoids, Used as a sedative
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Bark, Leaves
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, useful as a ground cover
Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
Plectranthus scutellarioides
SARACA indica
Common Name
Coleus, Painted nettle
Ashoka Tree, Sorrowless Tree
In Hindi
Coleus
Saraca इंडिका
In German
Buntnessel
SARACA indica
In French
Vieux garçon
Saraca indica
In Spanish
coleo
indica Saraca
In Greek
Coleus
Saraca indica
In Portuguese
cóleus
Saraca indica
In Polish
Coleus
Saraca indica
In Latin
Coleus
Saraca indica
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Fabales
Family
Lamiaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Coleus
Saraca
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Detarieae
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
1504
1
27800
👆🏻