Coleus Flowers

These lovely blue flowers are among not often seen flowering coleus. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Coleus Flowers

Most people recognize these plants when they see them. The general family of coleus plants features a wide range of colors and shapes, all provided by the varied leaves of this annual plant.

One of the features not often seen are coleus flowers. Once the plant blooms and goes to seed, the plant tends to not grow as vigorously. Many people pinch off the flowers to help extend the vigor and life of this easy and hardy summer gardening staple.

True blue flowers are rare in gardens so i was delighted to see that these inherited coleus flowers were indeed blue. Coupled with their colorful leaves, the blue flowers were a pretty combination.

Gardeners tend to select coleus more for their leaf color and shape than flower color. The leaves have a variety of shapes as well as color combinations.

There’s a wide range of coleus with different leaf shapes and colors. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

In addition to interesting green leaves, coleus can also have other strong leaf shapes and color combinations, very similar to the range of mixed fabrics that can be found in handmade quilts like a Flower Garden Quilt. . Here are a couple of coleus plants now wintering over inside my house in a shade pot.

At least two different coleus wintering over in one of my shade pots. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Growing outside, coleus provide a pop of color through the summer growing season usually in a shady spot.

Right now they are adding nice unexpected color inside in my living room.

Coleus plants blooming inside in my living room window. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Coleus can easily be grown from both seeds and from cuttings rooted in water.

My goal is to see if I can get these potted coleus to make it through winter inside so they have an earlier start in next year’s growing season.

Charlotte