These plants are cultivated for the beauty of their leaves which occur in many different colours in considerable variety. The strains offered are all varieties of the parent species Coleus blumei which originates in Java. Coleus are perennials but are best treated as annuals, unless you wish to specialise in these plants and grow named varieties which can only be propagated by means of cuttings. They are difficult plants to overwinter because they are sensitive to cold and need a minimum temperature of 55°F (13°C). Cuttings root quite readily and are taken in the usual way from the ends of growing stems and inserted in any suitable cutting compost. It is, however, the plants grown from seed with which we are concerned, and these are offered by seedsmen in several different mixtures or strains. Each strain has its own characteristic which may be shape of leaf, or predominance of colour, such as emphasis on yellow and green shades. A good mixture to start with is one which offers a wide range of colours, sometimes aptly described as a rainbow mixture.
COLEUS
These plants are cultivated for the beauty of their leaves which occur in many different colours in considerable variety. The strains offered are all varieties of the parent species Coleus blumei which originates in Java. Coleus are perennials but are best treated as annuals, unless you wish to specialise in these plants and grow named varieties which can only be propagated by means of cuttings. They are difficult plants to overwinter because they are sensitive to cold and need a minimum temperature of 55°F (13°C). Cuttings root quite readily and are taken in the usual way from the ends of growing stems and inserted in any suitable cutting compost. It is, however, the plants grown from seed with which we are concerned, and these are offered by seedsmen in several different mixtures or strains. Each strain has its own characteristic which may be shape of leaf, or predominance of colour, such as emphasis on yellow and green shades. A good mixture to start with is one which offers a wide range of colours, sometimes aptly described as a rainbow mixture.
