Family of clairvoyants. Homeland Java Island, Africa, Asia, Australia. The exact number of natural species of this genus is unknown, we know only one single species (about it below). The name Coleus is outdated, it was used earlier, now some species are assigned to the genus Plectranthus Plectranthus (for example, Plectranthus rotundifolius was previously referred to coleus, very similar in appearance, but completely undecorated). But most of the familiar coleuses are correctly called Solenostemon Solenostemon.
Solenostemon (Coleus) looks like nettles, only without thorns and beautifully painted. Therefore, coleus is popularly called decorative nettle. Coleuses are herbaceous plants with erect ribbed stems. The leaves are opposite, ovate, pointed at the end, town-like (rounded notches) or serrated along the edge.
In the culture, hybrids of the Solenostemon helmet-shaped Solenostemon scutellarioides are common - a synonym (obsolete name) - Coleus Blume Coleus blumei or Coleus hybridus. The stem is erect, ribbed, tetrahedral, up to 80 cm high. The leaves are opposite, ovate, pointed at the end, wavy or serrated along the edge. The leaves are finely hairy, usually variegated: green, pink, yellow, black (saturated dark purple), maroon, cream, almost white or red. The inflorescence is a complex spike of numerous small flowers.
The name of the genus Solenostemon comes from the Greek. Solen - tube and stemon - stamen, due to the fact that the stamens of Solenostemon are fused at the base into a tube. The name of the species scutellarioides - comes from the name Scutellaria Schlemnik - a genus of plants of the same family of claws, inflorescences, flowers and leaves in some species are very similar to coleus. Solenostemon, first of all, the plant is decorative and deciduous, a huge work aimed at obtaining many varieties of Solenostemon scutellarioides or Solenostemon x hybrida, characterized by a variety of leaf colors, opens up wide opportunities in garden and greenhouse design. Moreover, the shape of the leaves also differs in diversity from a simple "nettle" - the town edge in some varieties has become strongly split, the leaves look almost feathery (for example, the variety 'Kiwi Fern'). And in the variety 'Tilt-a-Whirl', the leaves have a completely unimaginable shape of a fan, slightly twisted in a spiral, somewhat reminiscent of a bird wing.
To somehow organize the many varieties of Coleus, there are series that include dozens of varieties, for example, the Superfine Rainbow Series, Wizard Series, Giant Exhibition Series, Colissima Series, Stained Glass Series, Wizard Series, Kong Series, Versa Series, Faa irway Series and others. Within the series, the names of varieties can be repeated, for example, in the Fairway series and in the Kong series, there is a variety called Mosaic, but these are different varieties, with multi-colored mosaic spots. Some sold varieties of the series are unknown. It should be borne in mind that sometimes the leaves of different varieties are quite variable with age, for example, below in the photo the variety 'Gay's Deligh' on young leaves only veins are purple (dark purple), in old leaves not only veins - the central part of the leaf becomes purple from the petiole. In other varieties, with the age of the leaves, the depth of the serrations along the edge changes .
Solenostemon or Coleus is grown both as a houseplant and as a garden plant. Features - fast growth, large sheet mass and undemanding care. Solenostemons look impressive in flower beds or curbs, correctly selected varieties planted in a certain order allow you to highlight color accents and create colorful compositions.
Coleus care
Temperature: In summer, normal, indoor, although in general, the coleus prefers a moderate temperature range from 18 to 22 ° C, the hotter the weather in summer and drier the air, the faster the coleus grows and stretches. From the heat, the leaves in the lower part of the stems quickly dry out and fly around, the plant loses its decorative attractiveness. In winter, the temperature is preferably cool, about 15 ° C, i.e. such that there is no plant growth. Winter minimum 10 ° C.
Lighting: Coleus is photophilous, bright coloring of leaves is possible only in good lighting. Bright diffused light is required, with shading from direct sunlight in summer during the hottest hours of the day. Ideally, direct sun should hit the plant in the morning before 11 o'clock or in the evening after 15-16 o'clock in the afternoon. These are east or west (northwest orientation) windows. You can place the Solenostemon on the south window, but under the shade. And here it is dangerous not so much direct sun as heat - on the southern and western windows the temperature rises above 40 ° C. Therefore, on hot days, it is better to rearrange the plant to a cooler place .
Watering: in summer, the coleus is watered abundantly, the leaves droop from drying, then dry out. Therefore, the soil in the depths of the pot, where the bulk of the washy roots, should be slightly moist all the time, but the upper layer of the earth should have time to dry out by the next watering. In autumn and winter, watering is reduced, its frequency depends on the temperature, but the ground should dry out in the upper half of the pot.
Fertilizers: regularly from March to September, the coleus is fed with fertilizers, with a frequency of once a week - ten days. You can alternate mineral dressing with organic (preferably based on horse manure). By the way, despite the fact that the coleus plant is decorative and deciduous, the color of the leaves is richer and brighter if it is fed with fertilizer for flowering plants (fertica lux, uniflor bud, pokon for flowering, etc.).
Humidity: Coleus loves moist air, but does not need spraying during the growing season. Only dry air in a warm room in winter is harmful to the plant, therefore, if the Solenostemon winters in the room, it must be isolated from the directed warm air of the battery.
Transplant: Annually in the spring. Soil is any nutrient mixture, coleus is not demanding on the composition of the soil, acidity is from slightly acidic to neutral, but not alkaline. You can take 3 part of the garden land to it add 1 part of well-rotted compost and 1/2 part of sand and vermiculite. Drain (e.g. coarse expanded clay or foam) shall be poured onto the bottom of the pot or container. If the soil is too compacted from watering, periodically loosen the ground.
The solenostemon is a fast-growing plant, but its drawback is that it also quickly grows, ages. The stem is lignified, first of all, in the lower part, gradually exposed, the plant loses its attractiveness. Abundant flowering also contributes to this - it depletes the plant. Since the flowers are not at all attractive, it is better to break out the peduncles right away.
A solenostemon is a perennial plant, but one bush is usually not grown for more than two years - this is impractical (only young bushes are beautiful). Of course, you can radically cut off the old coleus in the spring, and the stumps will form young shoots, but in this case, when transplanting, the trunk must be buried a little in the ground, and the lower part of the root coma cut off.
Coleus reproduction
It is easier to renew plants annually from cuttings or grow from seeds. Cuttings 7-10 cm long are cut in February-March or autumn. You can pre-hold them in a root solution, then put them to rooting in clean water. When roots appear (in about 7-14 days), cuttings can be planted in small peat cups with a diameter of about 8 cm (you can 2-3 cuttings together, but in 10-12 cm cups), in sheet earth or universal soil. When the cuttings grow to a height of about 15 cm, their tips need to be pinched so that the plants branch better. 2.5-3 months after planting in peat cups, the coleus can be planted either in the garden, on a flower bed, or planted in a larger pot or container. Coleus is planted in the garden only when the threat of spring frosts passes and the daily temperature does not drop below 10-12 ° C.
Seed coleus
Coleus seeds are sown in March in wide boxes, with a step of 5 cm. In a mixture of peat land and sand in equal parts. Seeds are lightly sprinkled with earth, moistened from a spray bottle and covered with a film or glass. Now it is necessary to maintain uniform humidity of the earth, preventing unnecessary dampness, and regularly ventilating. When removing the film, shake off the condensate. Seeds germinate at a temperature of 22-25 ° C. The seedlings of the coleus are friendly, so as soon as the leaves of neighboring seedlings begin to touch each other, they need to be picked in pots with a diameter of 8-9 cm. Put the pots in a bright place with a slight shade from the sun.
Coleus pests
Solenostemon or coleus can be affected by spider mite (contributes to hot dry climate, especially in winter). You need to look for a pest right away if you notice that the leaves began to turn yellow (especially at the tops of the shoots). On the variegated leaves of the coleus, the tick, or their thinnest cobweb, can be found on the back of the leaf. You can only fight the tick with acaricidal drugs.
Sometimes Solenostemon can be affected by mealy worms - they form white cotton lumps at the bases of the stems, in the axils of the leaves. Pests must be collected by hand, and watered in a pot with the drug "actara."