Coleus

If you’re looking to add a splash of "living technicolour" to your home without waiting months for a flower to bloom, you’ve met your match in the Coleus.

This flamboyant plant is often called "Painted Nettles" because of those spectacular, serrated leaves. They’re the absolute peacocks of the plant world—coming in shades of neon pink, deep burgundy, lime green, and even velvety chocolate. They are versatile, fast-growing, tender perennial.

Origin

These beauties hail from the tropical and subtropical regions of Southeast Asia and Australia. They love a bit of warmth and humidity, reminiscent of their jungle floor beginnings.

Care Guide:

• Light: They adore bright, indirect light. Too much direct midday sun can scorch those gorgeous colours, but too little light will make the plant "leggy" as it stretches to find the sun.

• Watering: Keep the soil consistently moist but never sodden. If you forget to water them, they are total "drama queens"—they will wilt flat against the pot to tell you they’re thirsty, but usually perk up quickly after a drink.

• Feeding: Give them a liquid fertiliser every fortnight during the spring and summer to keep the foliage vibrant.

• Temperature: They are sensitive to cold, needing to be moved indoors when temperatures drop below 10*C

• Maintenance: To keep the plant bushy, pinch off the tips of the stems. If it tries to grow small blue flowers, snip them off; the plant puts so much energy into the flowers that the leaves can start to look a bit drab.

• Toxicity: Coleus is toxic to dogs, cats, and horses. The essential oils can cause skin irritation or tummy upset if nibbled. Humans: Generally safe to handle, though the sap can be a mild irritant to those with sensitive skin, so maybe pop some gardening gloves on if you're doing a heavy pruning session.

Sold without a decorative pot, colour and size may vary slightly.

Local plant delivery or collection available in Belfast and throughout Northern Ireland.