Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Shrub
Origin
Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, South-Central United States
Eastern Asia, Malaysia
Types
-
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Number of Varieties
3150
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
bottomlands, Depression on prairies, ditches, Floodplains, Riverbanks, stream banks, Swamps
gardens, Subtropical climates, tropical environments
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-911-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
-
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Bushy, Evergreen
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Brown
-
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Black
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green
Green, Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Tan
Red, Green, Purple
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Red, Green, Purple
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval with a pointed tip and fine teeth along their edges
Ovate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Damp
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Pollution, Soil Compaction
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Cuttings, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of watering, 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
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Damp
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Prune in the late winter or spring, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Shape and thin as needed
cut main flower spike, Cut or pinch the stems
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, No need to fertilize every year
Full-strength liquid fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Red blotch, Sawfly Larvae
Downy mildew, Red blotch, Stem rot
Plant Tolerance
Pollution, Soil Compaction, Wet Site
Wet Site
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
Flower Petal Number
-
-
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
-
-
Allergy
Asthma
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes, Used for making hedges
Beauty Benefits
-
Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Erosion control, Wildlife
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
Whole plant
Leaves
Other Uses
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Container, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
BETULA nigra
Plectranthus scutellarioides
Common Name
River Birch
Coleus, Painted nettle
In Hindi
River Birch
Coleus
In German
Fluss Birch
Buntnessel
In French
Birch river
Vieux garçon
In Spanish
river Birch
coleo
In Greek
ποταμός Birch
Coleus
In Portuguese
river Birch
cóleus
In Polish
Rzeka Birch
Coleus
In Latin
Betula
Coleus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Lamiales
Family
Betulaceae
Lamiaceae
Genus
Betula
Coleus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
-
-
Subfamily
-
-
Number of Species
3150
1
27800
👆🏻