Coleus plants were made popular as Victorian bedding plants. They are tropical plants, native to areas bordering the equator. They love the heat but will happily grow as annuals in just about any garden.
Coleus is a former genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae. The term "coleus" is often used as a common name for species formerly placed in the genus Coleus that are cultivated as ornamental plants, particularly Coleus blumei (Plectranthus scutellarioides), which is popular as a garden plant for its brightly colored foliage. This plant prefers bright, but indirect sunlight. If direct sunlight touches the plant's leaves, the colors become less brightly colored. Outside this plant needs total shade or only the most mild morning sunlight.
