Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tender Perennial
Origin
Eastern Asia, Malaysia
Southern Africa
Types
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Perennial
Number of Varieties
15050
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Subtropical climates, tropical environments
Desert, Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-128-10
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
Bushy, Evergreen
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm61.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Yellow, Light Yellow, Brown
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Purple
Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Green, Purple
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Medium
Type of Soil
Damp
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Rhizome division, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Damp
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
cut main flower spike, Cut or pinch the stems
Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Full-strength liquid fertilizer
Any balanced general purpose fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Downy mildew, Red blotch, Stem rot
Nematodes, Scale
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
-
Bees, Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
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
Ethnobotanic
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Asthma, Glaucoma, High blood pressure, Liver Protection, Weight loss
-
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Root
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, useful as a ground cover
Roots were worn to protect and strengthen the wearer, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Bog Garden, Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Tropical, Water Gardens
Botanical Name
Plectranthus scutellarioides
DIETES bicolor
Common Name
Coleus, Painted nettle
African iris, Fortnight lily
In Hindi
Coleus
African Iris
In German
Buntnessel
Afrikanische Iris
In French
Vieux garçon
African Iris
In Spanish
coleo
Iris africano
In Greek
Coleus
Αφρικανική Iris
In Portuguese
cóleus
Iris africano
In Polish
Coleus
Afryki Iris
In Latin
Coleus
African Iris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Asparagales
Family
Lamiaceae
Iridaceae
Genus
Coleus
Dietes
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
-
Irideae
Subfamily
-
Iridoideae
Number of Species
150300
1
27800
👆🏻