The eight cultivars all have rich blends of green, maroon, plum, yellow and cream. They are Solar Sunrise, Solar Spectrum, Solar, Storm, Solar Set, Solar Furnace, Solar Shadow and Solar Eclipse. One thing that sets Solar Sunrise apart from the others are the enormous leaves that may reach six inches in width. On a trip to Bellingrath Gardens near Mobile late last summer, I saw long, unbelievable beds of coleus that should have made every visitor want to go home and plant some. For too many years now, we have just dabbled with coleus, spot planting here and there.
Coleus are low-maintenance plants that are easy to grow.
They are almost foolproof when grown in well-drained soil and watered through droughty periods. They are also excellent for baskets, especially when grown in combination with a vining or cascading plant. Since we are growing coleus for the boldly colored foliage, there is no use in letting them use energy developing flowers. Pinch these off, and you will help develop a bushy plant. Coleus could be planted now for months of enjoyment before frost.