Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Shrub
Origin
Eastern Asia, Malaysia
North America, United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, Canada
Types
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Blue False Indigo
White False Indigo
Number of Varieties
1502
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Subtropical climates, tropical environments
gardens, Grassland, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-122-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
8-1
Sunset Zone
-
A1, A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Habit
Bushy, Evergreen
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Purple
Flower Color Modifier
-
-
Fruit Color
-
Light Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Purple
Light Green, Gray Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Green, Purple
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Damp
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer
Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering
Average Water Needs
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Ample Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Damp
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, 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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes, Used for making hedges
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
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Whole plant
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, useful as a ground cover
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
Plectranthus scutellarioides
AMORPHA canescens
Common Name
Coleus, Painted nettle
False Indigo
In Hindi
Coleus
इंडिगो
In German
Buntnessel
falsches Indigo
In French
Vieux garçon
faux Indigo
In Spanish
coleo
Falso Indigo
In Greek
Coleus
Λάθος Indigo
In Portuguese
cóleus
false Indigo
In Polish
Coleus
fałsz Indigo
In Latin
Coleus
falsum indicum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Lamiales
Fabales
Family
Lamiaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Coleus
Amorpha
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
15021
1
27800
👆🏻