Solenostemon Copinto Bloody Mary

The Coleus Copinto Bloody Mary is a variety of Plectranthus that is particularly vigorous and highly colored. The plant quickly forms a beautiful upright clump and is adorned with large cherry red leaves edged with pale green-yellow, and a lime green central zone. It has a striking effect while requiring little maintenance when planted in partial shade in moist soil. Coleus plants are frost-sensitive and can be grown as indoor plants or as annuals to decorate balconies and terraces. They also make particularly decorative plants in seasonal compositions.

Coleus, also known as Solenostemon and recently renamed Plectranthus, are plants related to Basil and nettle. They belong to the mint family, as indicated by their small bilabiate flowers with elongated lower lip, their fleshy square stems, and their toothed and hairy leaves on the underside. This genus includes about sixty species of tender perennial shrubs, native to Asia and tropical Africa. Horticulture has produced numerous hybrids and cultivars, among which many are descendants of Solenostemon scutellarioides.

The 'Copinto Bloody Mary' Coleus forms a dense, rounded clump, reaching about 55 cm (22in) in all directions in one season. The leaves are heart-shaped, bordered by rounded and regular teeth, and slightly hairy. The center of the lamina has an irregular macula of acid green colour, the rest of the leaf is cherry red, while the edge is pale green-yellow. The flowering, which is late and irregular in this selection, is discreet. It sometimes occurs at the end of the season, in the form of small pale mauve-blue flowers. It is often recommended to remove these flowers so that the plants do not exhaust themselves producing seeds and maintain generous foliage.

Coleus, sometimes called 'painted nettles' because of their incredibly diverse foliage, are indispensable for adding a beautiful exotic touch to any decor in the garden or in the house, where they can live for several years. They prefer a partially shaded exposure, which can be found on the edge of a bed of tall perennials or shrubs, or in a cool rockery facing north or east, away from the burning rays of the sun. They allow for the creation of small mosaic-like beds of colors and work well with begonias in flower pots. The richness of their colours makes them somewhat difficult to associate: small ferns like Polypodium or purple wandering Jew (Tradescantia pallida) will be good companions for Coleus Copinto Bloody Mary. They particularly complement begonias in flower pots.

Note: Please note that our young plug plants are professional products intended for experienced gardeners: upon receipt, transplant and store them in a sheltered place (greenhouse, cold frame) at a temperature above 14C° for a few weeks before being placed outdoors once the risk of frost is definitively gone.