Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Tender Perennial
Origin
Eastern Asia, Malaysia
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Number of Varieties
15020
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens, Subtropical climates, tropical environments
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-128-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-5
Sunset Zone
-
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Bushy, Evergreen
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
-
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
-
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Green, Purple
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Red, Green, Purple
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Damp
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Early Summer
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Drought
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
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
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial shade
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
cut main flower spike, Cut or pinch the stems
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
Full-strength liquid fertilizer
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Pests and Diseases
Downy mildew, Red blotch, Stem rot
-
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes, Used for making hedges
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Weightloss
Good for skin
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
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, useful as a ground cover
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
Plectranthus scutellarioides
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
Coleus, Painted nettle
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
Coleus
Shell Ginger
In German
Buntnessel
Shell Ginger
In French
Vieux garçon
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
coleo
Shell jengibre
In Greek
Coleus
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
cóleus
Shell Ginger
In Polish
Coleus
Shell Imbir
In Latin
Coleus
Crusta Ginger
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Lamiales
Zingiberales
Family
Lamiaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Coleus
Alpinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
-
Alpinieae
Subfamily
-
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
150150
1
27800
👆🏻