How to Plant and Grow Splotched-Leaf Coleus (Sun-Loving)

Splotched sun-tolerant coleus is easy to grow if it has plenty of warmth and moisture. Grow it in partial shade to full sun. Colors contrasts in the mottled foliage often are more intense in bright light. Combine this foliage plant with other annual flowers for a spectacular display all summer long. When frost threatens, take cuttings or dig up plants, then pot them and enjoy them as houseplants in a sunny window until spring. Then plant them outdoors once again.

Varieties of Coleus

Amora Coleus

(Solenostemon 'Amora') has peachy yellow leaves with bright green splotches. Leaf veins are rosy red. It grows 3 feet tall in sun or shade.

Antique Coleus

(Solenostemon 'Antique') may be the same variety as 'Cranberry Salad'. They are sometimes listed as separate varieties, but variability in coloration makes them virtually indistinguishable. Their scalloped leaves are chartreuse with deep maroon or purple flecking, which varies with the amount of sun exposure. Plants form mounds up to 3 feet tall.

Bipolar Bigolly Coleus

(Solenostemon 'Bipolar Bigolly') hosts a frenetic mix of chartreuse, yellow, red, and maroon colors on a mounding, 18-inch-tall plant. The scalloped leaves will be brighter in full sun than in shade.

Black Knight Coleus

(Solenostemon 'Black Knight') has deeply lobed, wavy, splotched purple-and-chartreuse leaves. In full sun it develops more purple; in shade, chartreuse predominates. It grows 3 feet tall.

Careless Love Coleus

(Solenostemon 'Careless Love') is an upright grower reaching 2 feet tall. Its scalloped leaves produce highly irregular splotches of wine red on a yellow-green base. It grows best in part shade because in full sun, the background color will become washed-out yellow. In deep shade, the colors shift to dull green and dark reddish purple.

Charlie McCarthy Coleus

(Solenostemon 'Charlie McCarthy') is a duckfoot coleus with deeply incised foliage. Its bright green leaves produce a central maroon splotch. It grows 18 inches tall.

DaDa Daddy Coleus

(Solenostemon 'DaDa Daddy') has mottled, medium green leaves with prominent creamy-white veins. These background colors are splotched with maroon. It grows 2 feet tall. Although it is sun-tolerant, avoid exposure to full sun in Southern areas.

Killer Klown Coleus

(Solenostemon 'Killer Klown') produces delightfully frilly leaves with chartreuse and maroon variegation. In full sun, the leaves turn yellow and burgundy. It is well suited for training as a standard, reaching 3 feet tall.

Max Levering Coleus

(Solenostemon 'Max Levering') grows best in sun, where its foliage develops a lemon-yellow hue splashed with maroon. In shade, the scalloped leaves take on a greener appearance. The mounded plant grows 18 inches tall.

Pineapple Queen Coleus

(Solenostemon 'Pineapple Queen') has sharply toothed leaf edges. Leaves are golden green with a wash of maroon at their base. Petioles and plant stems are also maroon, creating a pleasing color contrast. The compact plant grows 18 inches tall.

Schizophrenia Coleus

(Solenostemon 'Schizophrenia') bears wildly splashed maroon and chartreuse foliage that almost appears pixilated. The colors shift with time of year and amount of light the plant receives, leading to its split personality. It grows 3 feet tall.

Sedona Coleus

(Solenostemon 'Sedona') produces foliage with colors that echo those of a desert sunset -- orange, bronze, gold, maroon, and purple. It grows well in full or part shade, but is not recommended for full sun. It grows 30 inches tall.

Snazzy Coleus

(Snazzy Solenostemon) bears elongated, mottled green and gold leaves with deep, fingerlike indentations. Grow it in full sun or part shade for best coloration. It grows 18 inches tall.

Splish Splash Coleus

(Solenostemon 'UF04-69-01') is adapted to sun or shade. Leaves are marked in mahogany-red and green, providing a striking contrast. It grows 30 inches tall.

Starry Night Coleus

(Solenostemon 'Starry Night') derives its name from its maroon foliage flecked with gold, similar to a star-filled night sky. The toothed leaves often have a patch of chartreuse at their bases. Compact plants grow 18 inches tall.

Tiny Toes Coleus

(Tiny Toes Solenostemon) produces unique narrow leaves with splotches of maroon, red, green, and gold. The small, crinkled leaves give the plant an airy effect. It grows 2 feet tall.

Twist and Twirl Coleus

(Solenostemon 'UF03-6-1a') may make you want to twist and shout, with its wildly colored and contorted leaves. The deeply lobed, multicolored leaves sport various combinations of chartreuse, maroon, purple, yellow, and red. Grow it in full sun or part shade for best coloration. It grows 30 inches tall.

Garden Plans for Coleus