PlantFiles: Coleus
Solenostemon scutellarioides 'Merlot'

I love this one. Blends well with other colors of Coleus as I have shown in my photo.

Merlot is a heat and sun loving variety that has won the following awards:
2006 - Best of Breed - North Carolina State
2006 - Leader of the Pack Early Season - North Carolina State
2005 - Top Pick - Dallas Arboretum

Another "black" cultivar that has tiny chartreuse makings on the scalloped margins. The stems are also contrasting in chartreuse. Very striking. A rather tall grower.

I bought my first Coleus plant because if its color. It has been with me now for 3-1/2 years. I have about 5 others that I grew from cuttings from the original plant.

I take a cutting (including a joint), put it in some water on the south window sill (filtered, but direct sunlight), and within a few days it starts to root. It seems perfectly happy living in the water, but I put it in some soil when the roots get going so I can move a new cutting to the window.

They make excellent gifts and are most gorgeous. Once grown, I move them to a less bright location. They tend to lose their deep/rich coloring when exposed to too much light.

I find Coleus to be difficult to grow. Merlot was barely hanging on in the begginning, but I did see some improvement. It does have some holes in the leaves from small insects. They need mostly shade. The tag on Merlot said, it could take more sun then others varieties of coleus, but this is untrue. It really can not take sun after 11 am. If you seem them appear wilted, that could be from too much sun and heat. Apply water at once and later transplant to a shader location.