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Coleus: when to plant and care

Pinch flower spikes to keep foliage full.

Botanical nameColeus scutellarioides
Typeannual
USDA zones10–11
Sunpart shade (sun types available)
Watermoderate
Bloomfoliage
Mature size1–3 ft
Planting timeAfter the last spring frost
Coleus leaves in burgundy, green and cream
Photo: Photo by David J. Stang, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Frost-tender; cold soil stalls growth.

Example dates

PlaceDates
Austin, TX (78701)spring: Mar 17–Apr 7
Atlanta, GA (30303)spring: Mar 31–Apr 21
St. Louis, MO (63101)spring: Apr 8–29
Chicago, IL (60614)spring: Apr 17–May 8
Denver, CO (80202)spring: May 7–28
Seattle, WA (98101)spring: Mar 20–Apr 10

Every ZIP page has its own dates. Find your ZIP.

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Sources

Summarized in our own words from public extension publications.

All plant guides