The Coleus lends itself very well for decorating little sunny flower beds or for pots, boxes or bowls placed in the garden, on the terrace, on the balcony and on the windowsill. THE clay pots allow the earth to breathe, so it would be better to use this material to promote their health.

Native to Asia and Africa, it belongs to the Lamiaceae family and its own very particular leaves they can be mottled red, two-tone, green, bordered or tinged with green, yellow or pink, opposite, plain, heart-shaped or other shapes. It's about a perennial herbaceous plant which may have edible tubers. Has a erect posture and soon branches out starting from the lower part. THE small flowers they are gathered in spike inflorescences and are small, varying in color from white to blue and are much less conspicuous than the leaves themselves. If grown in the apartment, the Coleus does not reach more than 50 cm in height while in its natural environments it can exceed one meter in height. The coleus is a plant that it does not tolerate too rigid temperatures, in colder areas it is mainly used as indoor plant, but if the winters are mild it can also be used in flower beds or borders.

CARE

The coleus he lives very well in the apartment because it loves average temperatures around 20 ° C, above this temperature remember to nebulize it to help the leaves maintain hydration and color, instead it suffers at a temperature below 16 degrees.

To keep the leaves at their best, shiny, bright and colorful, place it in a bright place because it loves light, choose a southern exposure for this plant. You can also keep it in direct sunlight, take care to protect it during the hottest hours so as not to cause burns to the leaves. Remember that the bright and variegated color of the leaves is directly proportional to the amount of light they receive. Coleus grows well in fertile soil, mixed with peat and sand, to help drain excess water. The terrain it must be fresh but not soaked, a glass of water every day is sufficient, during the hottest months it needs abundant watering but it is good to suspend in winter when the vegetative rest of the plant occurs and to limit, during this period, keep the soil moist. In warm periods in the evening nebulizes the plant.

Every 15 days during the vegetative phase, from March to September, you can fertilize Coleus with a fertilizer based on organic matter to strengthen the plant.