My father was colorblind. This would seem to be a show-stopper for someone as dedicated to plants as Dad was. Nonetheless, one of his favorite groups of plants was the colorful Coleus blumei.
Colorblind people can't distinguish between red and green, and coleuses almost always have shades of red and green in their leaves. Still, Dad liked their unusual leaf patterns and, no doubt, the fact that they are among the easiest plants to grow. We had coleus plants all over the house and greenhouse.
Coleuses are bushy and grow 1 to 3 feet tall. They are the Persian rugs of the plant world, known for their distinctive patterns. Their leaves are 2 or 3 inches long, usually with a base color of green, dark red, crimson or yellow. Usually there are concentric rings of alternating colors -- say, light green along the serrated edges and then a ring of dark green and then an inner ring of deep crimson. Check Google if you want to refresh your memory as to how a coleus looks.
Coleus plants have been favorite houseplants since Victorian times, when they were grown in entryways. It was only in the late '70s that they fell somewhat out of favor, probably because they had become too popular. Your grandmother undoubtedly had a few, and if your parents were into plants, they did too. Now you can find them at any nursery and almost certainly in any supermarket floral section.
Don't let the plant's label confuse you. After all these years, there has been a major name change. Coleus blumei (as these plants were called) are now officially Solenostemon scutellarioides (L.) Codd. Now, Dad taught me to use Latin names when it came to plants. So technically, I guess, I shouldn't use "coleus" to describe Solenostemon scutellarioides (L.) Codd, a not-catchy name, no matter how correct. I think people are going to continue to use "coleus" for a long, long time.
Anyhow, Solenostemon scutellarioides are having a rebirth in popularity for two reasons. First, new patterns and color combinations have been developed by selective breeding. Second, many of these new colors don't fade when the leaves are exposed to bright sun, as the older varieties did. This has resulted in increasing use of Solenostemons in outdoor plantings, especially mass plantings in landscape beds.
The new colors and patterns have also refreshed interest in using coleuses as indoor plants. You would think there aren't too many tricks to growing something that was popular as far back as the Victorian era. Take some clues, however. First, these plants will do best when temperatures are a bit cool, as they were in a Victorian home's entryway. They slow in growth and don't need to be watered every day. Fifty-five to 60 degrees is ideal. They were also grown where there was good natural light. Too little light and these plants will get spindly. Too much, and the plants fade -- well, not the new ones. Here in Alaska, a bit of supplemental light should be used. An office environment is perfect light if you can keep the plant against a cool window.
Next, when you examine a coleus, you will notice its stem is square and its leaves grow opposite one another along this stem. This kind of plant responds to pinching, forming two new shoots where the pinched one was removed. Pinching coleus plants will reshape them and keep them bushy. If you don't pinch, you risk having a leggy plant.
Coleuses are susceptible to mealybugs, tiny, scale-like critters that cover themselves with a waxy, cottonlike coating once they become established. Mealybugs can be found at the apex of leaves and stems. If yours get them, immediately toss the plant as it is extremely difficult to safely remove them once they are visible to the naked eye. They also spread to other plants, so heed my advice, no matter how tempting it is to keep a diseased plant.
Cuttings from these plants root easily. Make sure you have four or five sets of leaves on each cutting and remove the bottom set, whence the roots will develop when you put the plant in damp sand, perlite or even water. When they do develop roots, place the cuttings in a well-draining potting soil that is rich in organics. Re-pot into larger quarters as the plant grows, lest you stunt it.
Again, there are lots of colorful new coleus -- I mean Solenostemons -- patterns, and this makes it worthwhile to check them out wherever you find them for sale. They make great houseplants and add lots of color to a room. And who knows? If you start now and take cuttings through the winter, you may have enough plants to use in outdoor beds in the spring.
Jeff Lowenfels is a member of the Garden Writers Hall of Fame. You can reach him at gardenerjeff.googlepages.com. or by joining the "Garden Party" radio show from 10 a.m. to noon Saturdays on KBYR 700 AM.
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Compost material: Don't toss all that wood debris knocked down by wind and snow. Chip what you can, and use it on next year's compost pile.
Lawn mowers and tractors: There are additives you can put into the tank to preserve the gasoline so it won't gum up your machine and prevent it from starting in the spring.
Houseplants: The heat is on! Check daily until you establish a winter watering routine.
JEFF LOWENFELS
GARDENING