Coleus Vulcan

Coleus 'Vulcan' is adorned with particularly unique foliage, both in its finely toothed shape and its colour. Its leaves are pink and purple, edged with a fine golden yellow line. It forms a clump with an upright and dense habit. Tender, Coleus can be grown as indoor plants or as annuals in borders or containers. They are easy to grow and highly decorative plants that will undoubtedly find their way into your garden, balcony, or even your interior.

Coleus, also known as Solenostemon or Plectranthus, belong to the Labiate family, like basil. They share the same bilabiate flowers with elongated lower lips and square-sectioned stems. While basil offers us aromatic leaves, coléus captivates our attention with its decorative foliage. This genus comprises around sixty species of non-hardy shrubby perennials, native to Asia and tropical Africa. Today, there are numerous hybrids and cultivars of coléus that are increasingly remarkable.

Coleus 'Vulcan' has an upright and well-branched habit. It can reach between 40 and 60cm in all directions. Its leaves are nicely toothed with rounded edges. They display a gradient ranging from reddish pink to purple, from the inside out, and are finely bordered with lemon yellow. Sometimes, a slight black colouration can be seen on the foliage. Flowering is rare, if not non-existent, in this selection. The inconspicuous flowers occasionally appear in late summer. Remove them to avoid exhausting the plant and to fully enjoy its foliage.

Coleus, nicknamed 'painted nettle' due to their foliage that appears to be painted by an inspired artist, find their place in borders, edging, and containers. Grow them as indoor plants and enjoy their foliage for several years. In containers, pair Coleus 'Vulcan' with Begonia 'Switzerland', with red flowers. Due to their brightly coloured foliage, Coleus can sometimes be challenging to combine. To accompany them in a border, consider the fern Polypodium 'Whitley Giant' in shade and Lobelia 'Anabel Snow White' in sun or partial shade.