Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Shrub
Origin
Southern Africa
Eastern Asia, Malaysia
Types
Perennial
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Number of Varieties
50150
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
gardens, Subtropical climates, tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1011-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Clump-Forming
Bushy, Evergreen
Plant Size
Minimum Height
61.30 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
Red, Green, Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Grass like
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Damp
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular watering
Requires a lot of watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Ample Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Damp
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
cut main flower spike, Cut or pinch the stems
Fertilizers
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Full-strength liquid fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Nematodes, Scale
Downy mildew, Red blotch, Stem rot
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Wet Site
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
Medium
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
-
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes, Used for making hedges
Beauty Benefits
-
Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Ethnobotanic
Air purification, Provides ground cover, Soil protection, soil stabilisation
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Asthma, Glaucoma, High blood pressure, Liver Protection, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Root
Leaves
Other Uses
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Container, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
DIETES bicolor
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Common Name
African iris, Fortnight lily
Coleus, Painted nettle
In Hindi
African Iris
Coleus
In German
Afrikanische Iris
Buntnessel
In French
African Iris
Vieux garçon
In Spanish
Iris africano
coleo
In Greek
Αφρικανική Iris
Coleus
In Portuguese
Iris africano
cóleus
In Polish
Afryki Iris
Coleus
In Latin
African Iris
Coleus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Lamiales
Family
Iridaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Dietes
Coleus
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Irideae
-
Subfamily
Iridoideae
-
Number of Species
300150
1
27800
👆🏻