Solenostemon Ruffles Copper

The Coleus Ruffles Copper is a variety of Plectranthus with beautifully toothed foliage, copper-coloured, veined with purple and marginated with bright green. Of medium vigor, this variety has an upright habit, with a well-defined appearance. Its mix of colours is pleasantly contrasting. Coleus are frost-sensitive and can be grown as indoor plants or in the garden as annuals to decorate balconies and terraces. They are also particularly appreciated in seasonal compositions and contemporary decorations. Their exotic charm makes a big impression and they require little maintenance, in partial shade and in moist soil.

Coléus, also known as Solenostemon, recently renamed Plectranthus, are plants related to Basil and nettle. They belong to the mint family, as evidenced by their small bilabiate flowers with elongated lower lip, their fleshy square stems, and their toothed and hairy leaves on the underside. This genus comprises around sixty species of frost-tender shrubby perennials, native to Asia and tropical Africa. Horticulture has produced numerous hybrids and cultivars, many of which are descendants of Solenostemon scutellarioides.

The Coleus Ruffles Copper forms an upright, dense and rounded clump, reaching about 40 cm (16in) in all directions in one season. The leaves are slightly hairy, triangular in shape, with a border cut into rounded teeth. Their lamina is copper-coloured, veined with purple, marginated with bright green. The flowering, which is late and very unpredictable 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 a generous foliage.

Coleus, sometimes called 'painted nettles' due to their incredibly diverse foliage, are irreplaceable for adding a beautiful exotic touch to any decor, both in the garden and indoors, where they can live for several years. They prefer a partially shaded position, which can be found at the edge of a bed of tall perennials or shrubs, or in a cool rockery, exposed to the north or east, away from the scorching rays of the sun. They can be used to create small mosaic-like beds of colours and go well with begonias in flower pots. The richness of their colors makes them somewhat difficult to pair with other plants: small ferns like Polypodium or purple wandering jew (Tradescantia pallida) are good companions for Coleus. They also go particularly well with begonias in flower pots. For Coleus Ruffles Copper, also consider small perennials with a green color that resembles its margin, such as Heuchera Lime Marmalade or Carex oshimensis Everillo.

Note: Please be aware that our plug plants are professional products reserved for experienced gardeners: upon receipt, repot and store them in a sheltered place (conservatory, greenhouse, cold frame) at a temperature above 14°C (57.2°F) for a few weeks before planting them outdoors once the risk of frost has passed.