Koleus Blumego(Plectranthus scutellarioides) is a versatile and highly decorative plant that has long been cultivated in our homes. Due to the variety of shapes and colors of coleus, these plants are also planted on balconies, terraces and gardens. Get to know the most interestingvarieties of koleusand find out what requirements this plant has. We explain what it looks likegrowing koleus in the gardenand in a pot and suggest ways tobreeding koleusfrom your own breeding.
Koleus blumego - Plectranthus scutellarioides
Fig. pixabay.com
Koleus blumego - description and application
Koleus Blumego , also known as Brazilian urticaria, comes from tropical regions of Africa, Asia and Australia. Our grandmothers have already appreciated the extremely attractive color of the koleus leaves, and in the past, the pot with Brazilian urticaria could be seen in almost every home.
The plant's habit depends on the variety, and the plants reach 40 to 80 cm in height. They respond well to pruning, which allows you to regulate their growth.The stem of the coleushas a square cross-section and becomes lignified with time. Large, serrated leavescoleus leavescan take on intense, fabulous colors, ranging from burgundy, purple, red, orange, and yellow.
Koleus are attractive potted plants with colorful leaves that grow well in homes. Grown as annual plants, they are also suitable for planting in containers and pots on balconies, as well as in flower beds and garden borders.Differentvarieties of Koleus with contrasting colors look beautiful togetherKoleus is great for bringing it to the form of a tree.
Koleus Blumego - varieties
The great popularity of koleus is also associated with the multitude of beautiful varieties that have been bred. We present some of the most interesting.
Koleus Blumego 'Sunset boulevard'- stands out for its wonderful, orange leaves in an extremely intense shade. It looks beautiful against the background of dark green deciduous shrubs.
Koleus Blumego 'Abbey road'- characterized by beautiful burgundy leaves with a thin green rim.
Koleus blumego - Plectranthus scutellarioides
Fig. pixabay.com
Koleus Blumego 'Rokoko'- this is an extremely attractive variety with corrugated leaves, beautifully colored. Requires a sunny or partial shade position. It works as a border plant, perfect for containers and pots for balconies and terraces.
Koleus Blumego 'River walk'- delights with beautiful lime leaves. This variety of koleus is a unique decoration of every apartment and balcony.
Koleus Blumego 'Alligator alley'- distinguished by large, maroon leaves. Dark leaves are surrounded by a wide green border.
Koleus Blumego 'Pink chaos'- characterized by a loose shape and elongated, pointed leaves in many shades of intense pink, often with the addition of green and white.
Koleus Blumego 'Black Dragon'- this is an extraordinary variety with strongly crimped leaves in a dark shade of burgundy falling into black.
Koleus blumego - Plectranthus scutellarioides
Fig. pixabay.com
Koleus Blumego - growing in a pot
Koleus Blume bred in an apartmentneeds a lot of diffused sunlight. A window sill slightly covered with a curtain will be perfect for him. Koleus exposed to direct sunlight burns easily and dies.
Koleus grown in a pot reacts poorly to droughtand requires frequent watering. In summer, even twice a day. Fill the pot for koleus with fertile garden soil, and pour a layer of drainage, e.g. expanded clay, on its bottom.Koleus Blume likes a constantly moist, but not very wet substrateFrom February to October, it is worth supplementing it with fertilizers, especially potassium.
To stimulate the growth of plants and maintain a nice shape, it is worth removing them and not allowing them to bloom. On an ongoing basisremove the flower buds of koleus , because their development significantly weakens the plant, adversely affecting its habit and color.
Koleus blumego - Plectranthus scutellarioides
Fig. pixabay.com
Koleus Blume - wintering
Koleus for the winter is best transferredto a damp, cool room with a temperature of approx. 15 ° C, because in dry and heated rooms, plants dry and die quickly.Although koleus is a perennial, it loses its attractive appearance after 1-2 years of cultivation. It is worth, therefore, rejuvenating it every year by acquiring new seedlings from the mother plant. We discuss the harvesting of cuttings in more detail below, in the section onreproducing koleus
Koleus Blumego - cultivation in the garden
In gardens, Blume's koleus is planted both in the ground, on flowerbeds or borders, as well as in boxes and pots.The coleus cultivation site must be sheltered from the wind , preferably in the shade of other plants. The soil should be fertile, humus, slightly acidic or neutral (pH 5.5-7.0). This species does not hibernate in the ground, so before the onset of frosts, the plants should be moved to heated rooms with a temperature of about 10 ° C or treated as annuals.
Koleus blumego - Plectranthus scutellarioides
Fig. pixabay.com
Koleus Blume - reproduction
Blume's Koleus can be propagated in two ways - by cutting and sowing seeds.
Coleus propagation by cuttings- this is the easiest way to propagate this plant. Coleus Blume shoots are best prepared in the spring, because then they will take root easily and quickly. Each seedling should be about 10 cm long with 2-3 leaves left. We can immerse it in water or in a seedling substrate (a mixture of peat and perlite). After rooting, we transplant them into pots. After May 15, when the risk of frost is reduced, we can plant the plants permanently in the ground or in pots.
Coleus propagation by sowing seeds- sowing coleus seeds is carried out in early spring (February or March) in boxes filled with permeable substrate. Koleus seeds are best sown in rows 10-15 cm apart. After about 2 weeks, they start to germinate. After the proper leaves are produced, the seedlings are picked into individual pots.
MSc Eng. Anna Błaszczak
