Key Features
- Distinctive Black Dragon coleus with deep burgundy to nearly black foliage.
- Compact, bushy growth creates a bold foliage display in garden spaces.
- Attractive foliage adds dramatic contrast to beds, borders, and containers.
- Performs well in partial shade while tolerating brighter conditions with adequate moisture.
- Grown primarily for its richly colored ornamental leaves rather than flowers.
Growing Benefits
- Adds striking dark foliage contrast to mixed garden plantings.
- Works beautifully in containers, borders, beds, and shaded garden areas.
- Provides colorful foliage even when flowering plants are not in bloom.
- Suitable for gardeners looking to create layered and visually interesting displays.
- Easy to shape through regular pinching and pruning.
Seed Specifications
- Common Name: Black Dragon Coleus
- Botanical Name: Plectranthus scutellarioides (syn. Solenostemon scutellarioides)
- Plant Type: Tender perennial, commonly grown as an annual
- Colors: Deep burgundy, dark red, purple, and near-black foliage
- Height: Usually around two to three feet under suitable growing conditions
- Sunlight: Partial shade to bright filtered light; morning sun is generally suitable
- Soil: Rich, well-draining soil with good moisture retention
- Water: Keep soil evenly moist but avoid waterlogging
- Germination Time: Typically around ten to fourteen days under suitable conditions
- Sowing Depth: Surface sow; gently press seeds into the growing medium
- Spacing: Allow adequate room for mature plants to develop a full, bushy form
- Growing Zones: Perennial in warmer USDA Zones ten and eleven; grown as an annual in cooler zones
- Flowering/Maturity: Grown mainly for foliage; flower spikes may develop as plants mature
- Uses: Containers, borders, shaded beds, foliage displays, patios, and ornamental garden plantings
Growing Tips
- Press seeds gently onto moist soil because coleus seeds need light to germinate.
- Keep the seed-starting medium consistently moist without making it soggy.
- Provide bright, indirect light and warmth during the germination period.
- Pinch growing tips regularly after establishment to encourage bushier plants.
Seed Storage
Store unused seeds in a cool, dry, dark place inside a tightly sealed packet or container. Protect them from humidity, heat, and direct sunlight. Allow seeds to remain dry until ready for sowing.
Unique Facts About Seeds
- Coleus is primarily valued for its colorful foliage rather than its flowers.
- The seeds are very small and are generally surface sown because light supports germination.
- Coleus belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae.
- Individual coleus plants can display striking variations in leaf color, pattern, and form.
