Selection Guide

Feeling overwhelmed by the selection of beautiful coleus available? We hear that a lot! Some folks want to try coleus but are unfamiliar with the varieties and do not know where to begin. Others are familiar with the common varieties of coleus available in most garden centers but are looking to expand their horizons and buy something a bit more unusual. Taking into consideration the most frequently asked questions from our customers we compiled the following lists. These are suggestions only, and are based on our experience and experiences shared with us by our customers. No guarantees are implied by these suggestions and you might find that, in your climate and exposure, you have different results. Experimentation is part of the fun of gardening! Not every Coleus we carry are on one of these lists, and some Coleus varieties fit into more than one category, so please read the individual descriptions in the catalog before making your final selections. Remember that coleus varieties that are out-of-stock will not appear in the main catalog so some items on these lists might not be available to order.

Coleus that can tolerate sun:
Our most commonly asked question regarding Coleus choice is "which varieties will do well in full sun?" In their natural habitat, coleus grow in tropical conditions in partial, or dappled shade. Coleus generally look their best when given bright, indirect light and full sun only in the morning. Some coleus tolerate sun better than others, and some survive quite well in full sun situations if they are well cared for. The color and growth habit of coleus grown in full sun might differ from our catalog photos and descriptions. Many Coleus that tolerate full sun don't make this list because growing in full sun causes undesirable changes in their color and patterns. The following Coleus have done best in full-sun situations for us or our customers:
Abigail, Alabama Sunset, Allison, Beauty of Lyon, Beckwith’s Gem, Big Chief, Blackberry Waffles, Blair’s Witch, Brilliancy, Bronze Pagoda, Burning Bush, Camilla, Cantigney Royale, Copper, Crimson Ruffles, Darth Vader, Defiance, Desert Sunset, El Brighto, Elfers, Envy, Fiesta, Fire Dragon, Fire Fingers, Flirtin’ Skirts, Florida Sun Rose, Fright Night, Giant Fantasy, Gilda, Gold Brocade, Gold Giant, Grenadine, Haines, Heart, Hot Embers, Hot Sauce, Japanese Giant, Jungle Love, Kingwood Karnival, Kiwi Fern, Kona Red, Lavender Lace, Lemon & Lime, Mahogany Giant, Mariposa, Midnight, Mocha Mint, Molten Orange, Mrs. Harding, Olympic Torch, Oxblood, Paisley Shawl, Purple Duckfoot, Purple Haze, Red Coat, Red Witch, Ruby, Salmon Croton, Saturn, Saturn’s Rings, Sedona, Songbird, Sorcerer, Stormy Weather, Theatre Velvet, Tigerlily, Trailing Black, Trailing Dark Heart, Trailing Garnet Robe, Trailing Red, Trailing Salamander, Trailing Queen, Trailing Rose, Twist and Twirl, Velvet Lime, Victorian Ruffles, Violet Tricolor, Vulcan, Wild Streak

Coleus that need protection from harsh sun:
Most coleus will benefit from some sun when it is at it's mildest in the morning. However, by noon and afternoon, light-colored varieties might begin to show signs of stress in full sun. Pigment has protective qualities, so you will find many of our pastels and varieties with white centers on this list. Leaf thickness is a factor as well. Wafer-thin Coleus leaves are more susceptible to sunscald than more substantial leaves. Keep in mind that gradual exposure can build up sun resistance, and sun might darken the color of the coleus, so experimentation is definitely in order. The following coleus have done best when protected from harsh sun for us or our customers:
Hedwig, Jo-Jo, Lime Frill, Moonglow, Nugget, Stella Pink, Tell-Tale Heart, Trailing Green and Gold Queen, Trailing Green Olives, Trailing Plum Brocade, White Lace

Trailing Coleus:
Known as "Spillers," Trailing Coleus are excellent for growing at the edge of containers and window boxes, and make beautiful hanging baskets. They can also be used as ground cover. Trailing Coleus are the most likely of all types of Coleus to want to bloom, so pinch the ends regularly to keep flower buds from forming and to encourage branching.
Plant 3-4 per 10-12" pot for single specimen plantings in pots, hanging baskets, and urns. In mixed plantings, plant in open spots along the front and sides. In addition to spilling over the edge, Trailing Coleus will also weave themselves in and around the other plants for a charming effect. All Trailing coleus have small leaves ranging from 3/4 inch to 1 1/2 inches long.
Trailing Psycholeus, Trailing Cherry, Trailing Chocolate, Trailing Strawberry, Trailing Burgundy, Tell-Tale Heart, Trailing Dark Heart, Trailing Garnet Robe, Trailing Green and Gold Queen, Trailing Green Olives, Trailing Plum Brocade, Trailing Queen, Trailing Red, Trailing Rose, Trailing Salamander

Mounding Coleus:
Depending on how you use them, mounding Coleus can be either a "Spiller" or a "Filler" and are good for pot edges, garden-bed edging, hanging baskets, urns, and window boxes. Their dense growth habit makes them an good choice for situations that require a compact, bushy plant. Mounding Coleus make excellent, full hanging baskets for a protected area. Some of the more vigorous mounding varieties will require occasional pinching to retain a tidy form. Mounding Coleus generally have small and/or narrow leaves. Please consult the main catalog for photos and sizes of individual Coleus.
Plant 3-4 per pot for single specimen plantings in pots, hanging baskets, and urns. In mixed plantings, plant in open spots along the front and sides.
Aurora Black Cherry, Black Lace, Burning Bush, Cantigney Royale, Charley McCarthy, Chartreuse, Crimson Ruffles, Curly Magenta, Dark Star, Eclipse, Fire Fingers, Fright Night, Goldfinger, Grace Anne, India Frills, Inky Fingers, Jade Parade, Kiwi Fern, Little Twister, Max Levering, Pink Chaos, Purple Duckfoot, Salmon Croton, The Flume, The Line, Wildstreak

Medium and Tall Upright Coleus:
These are the "Thrillers" of the coleus world. Most of the upright coleus fall into this category so please consult the main catalog for individual heights and form.
Plant 3 of one variety per 10”-12” pot for a high-impact display, or mix and match in your planters or landscape for stunning combinations. We have listed some of the most dramatic coleus here:
Alabama Sunset, Allison, Beckwith's Gem, Big Chief, Black Magic, Bronze Pagoda, Careless Love, Darth Vader, Felix, Filagree, Fire Dragon, Fireworks, Fishnet Stockings, Flamingo, Haines, Hot Sauce, Paisley Shawl, Peachy Keen, Pele, Pineapple Prince, Red Witch, Ruby Laser, Saturn, Saturn's Rings, Solar Flare, Solar Sunrise, Songbird, Stella Red, Tigerlily

Giant Coleus:
The following coleus are not only tall in stature but have the biggest leaves of all the Coleus we offer.
Atlas, Envy, Giant Fantasy, Gold Giant, Japanese Giant, Mahogany Giant, Mariposa, Solar Shadow, Sunspot, Violet Tricolor

Coleus Combinations – harmonic mixtures of color, size, and texture
Sometimes a combination will look fabulous when it is first planted and all of the plants are roughly the same size. Young plants can be deceiving, though. Some will take off and grow like gangbusters, while other will plod along slowly, taking the whole season to reach their ultimate size. Plant the two together and you will find that the gangbusters will overcome and possibly even kill a plodder before it has a chance to mature. For this reason we have put together a buying guide for those who would like suggestions as to what coleus go together both in size, color, and vigor. In most combinations we have three upright coleus and one mounding or trailing coleus in a variety of leaf shapes and textures.  Four coleus will amply fill a large pot. Minimum pot size should be 12" in diameter for medium combos and 15" diameter for large combos. The hanging basket combos will fill a 10 to 15 inch pot. Very large pots, kettles, urns, troughs, etc. may accommodate more than one set.
Combinations may also be planted in the ground as vignettes. If you want your plants grouped close together for a clumping effect plant them 10 - 12 inches apart. Space them farther apart if you want to grow them near each other but as separate individuals. Coleus look great planted in and around other plants in the landscape, including perennials such as hosta and daylilies or annuals such as impatiens and petunias.
Growing coleus in pots allows you to move them around to suit the occasion, fill in drab spots in the landscape, and swap out tired pots with a fresh display. Just make sure that the coleus are in reach of a water source or be prepared to take a watering can to them as often as necessary!
Remember – these combinations are only suggestions. The possibilities are endless! Results may vary according to growing conditions. Experiment! Browse the catalog and let your imagination soar!

Black Magic + Chartreuse + Ruby Laser + Fright Night
Inky Fingers + Sorcerer + Chartreuse + Trailing Garnet Robe
Grenadine + El Brighto + Midnight + Trailing Red
Copper + Defiance + Sorcerer + Wildstreak
Kiwi Fern + Burning Bush + Bonfire + Trailing Red
Mrs. Kingsley + Sugar Castle + Cinderella + Trailing Cherry
Molten Orange + Kingwood Kritter + Velvet Lime + Trailing Garnet Robe
Fireworks + Golda + Kona Red + Trailing Salamander
Max Levering + Copper + Sorcerer + Trailing Red
Gay's Delight + Felix + Ruby + Trailing Garnet Robe
Bronze Pagoda + Eric The Red + Golda + Burning Bush
Blackberry Waffles + Pele + Hotspot + Cantigney Royale
Theatre Velvet + Stormy Weather + Brilliancy + Trailing Dark Heart
Violet Tricolor + Sunspot + Japanese Giant + Fright Night
Black Beauty + Chelsea Rose + Mrs. Harding + Trailing Garnet Robe
Gold Giant + Tigerlily + Midnight + Raspberry Ruffles
Fire Dragon + Blair’s Witch + Burning Bush + Trailing Red
Solar Shadow + Sunspot + Midnight + Trailing Garnet Robe
Haines + Mahogany Giant + Beckwith’s Gem + Trailing Rose
Butter Creme + Purple Haze + Big Chief + Trailing Red

More combinations and photos please visit our Rosy Dawn Gallery webpage.

Coleus with the smallest leaves:
Cantigney Royale, Charlie McCarthy, Fire Fingers, India Frills, Inky Fingers, Inky Toes, Little Twister, Purple Duckfoot, Tell-Tale Heart, Tiny Toes, Trailing Dark Heart, Trailing Burgundy, Trailing Chocolate, Trailing Garnet Robe, Trailing Green Olives, Trailing Plum Brocade, Trailing Queen, Trailing Red, Trailing Rose, Trailing Salamander, Trailing Strawberry

Container plants and annuals that co-exist well with coleus:
Alternanthera, Bacopa, Banana, Begonia, Caladium, Calibrachoa, Canna, Colocasia, Fuchsia, Helichrysum, Heliotrope, Impatiens (all types), Ipomoea batatas (ornamental sweet potato), Ivy, Ivy Geraniums, Lamium, Nicotiana, Ornamental Grasses, Parrot's Beak (Lotus), Petunia, Scaevola, Setcreasea, Strobilanthus, Torenia, Vinca  

Landscape perennials that co-exist well with coleus:
Astilbe, Ferns, Hakonechloa, Helleborus, Hostas, Heuchera, Lamium, Liriope, Myrtle, Ornamental Grasses, Pachysandra, Pulmonaria, Solomon's Seal, Tiarella, Tricyrtis, and Viola.

Rosy Dawn Garden Favorites
Even though we work with coleus 365 days a year, there are always a few that consistently take our breath away every time we see them! They aren't always the best sellers, either. We feel strongly that if people tried these plants they would be tickled pink!

Our Picks: Allison, Beckwith's Gem, Burning Bush, Chelsea Rose, Elfers, Haines, Felix, Mrs. Harding, Ruby Laser, Songbird, Tigerlily