Elizabeth wrote:
Coleus comes to mind.

As luck would have it, I was down at HomeDepot today (on other business)
and there was the sign "Assorted Varieties of Coleus ON SALE! $3.97) So
I picked one up! :-) Thanks for the info Elizabeth! Just one question:
Most info on this plant online indicates that it is an annual (i.e.
will die after one year), but the guy at HomeDepot (not their actual
assistants, this was another "customer" who happened to be a landscape
contractor) said that if this plant is kept in the shade, and in the
warmer climate of Los Angeles, it behaves as a perennial and won't die
at all. Now I am all confused and don't know what to think! Please
clarify!

Thanks as always!
Sam in Los Angeles

The plant commonly known as "Coleus" in the horticultural trade is not a
true Coleus at all. In fact, the genus Coleus is now obsolete and considered
synonymous with the genus Plectranthus.

The "Coleus" of the horticultural trade is actually Solenostemon
scutellarioides and it is a tender perennial from Malaysia that is usually
grown as an annual in temperate climates. It can be propagated from cuttings
and grown for years in a greenhouse or indoors.


Sam wrote in message
...
Elizabeth wrote:
Coleus comes to mind.

As luck would have it, I was down at HomeDepot today (on other business)
and there was the sign "Assorted Varieties of Coleus ON SALE! $3.97) So
I picked one up! :-) Thanks for the info Elizabeth! Just one question:
Most info on this plant online indicates that it is an annual (i.e.
will die after one year), but the guy at HomeDepot (not their actual
assistants, this was another "customer" who happened to be a landscape
contractor) said that if this plant is kept in the shade, and in the
warmer climate of Los Angeles, it behaves as a perennial and won't die
at all. Now I am all confused and don't know what to think! Please
clarify!

Thanks as always!
Sam in Los Angeles

On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 03:30:41 GMT, Sam wrote:

Elizabeth wrote:
Coleus comes to mind.

As luck would have it, I was down at HomeDepot today (on other business)
and there was the sign "Assorted Varieties of Coleus ON SALE! $3.97) So
I picked one up! :-) Thanks for the info Elizabeth! Just one question:
Most info on this plant online indicates that it is an annual (i.e.
will die after one year), but the guy at HomeDepot (not their actual
assistants, this was another "customer" who happened to be a landscape
contractor) said that if this plant is kept in the shade, and in the
warmer climate of Los Angeles, it behaves as a perennial and won't die
at all. Now I am all confused and don't know what to think! Please
clarify!

Thanks as always!
Sam in Los Angeles

The guy at HD is correct. You can grow coleus as a house plant,
although it tends to get spindly without enough sunlight. If the
plants begin to look bad and send up numerous (ugly) flowers--you can
take cuttings and start over (I do this). There are hundreds of
varieties with different growing properties. Coleus are often used
in botany experiments and they are related to the mint family.

"Sam" wrote in message
...
Elizabeth wrote:
Coleus comes to mind.

As luck would have it, I was down at HomeDepot today (on other business)
and there was the sign "Assorted Varieties of Coleus ON SALE! $3.97) So
I picked one up! :-) Thanks for the info Elizabeth! Just one question:
Most info on this plant online indicates that it is an annual (i.e.
will die after one year), but the guy at HomeDepot (not their actual
assistants, this was another "customer" who happened to be a landscape
contractor) said that if this plant is kept in the shade, and in the
warmer climate of Los Angeles, it behaves as a perennial and won't die
at all. Now I am all confused and don't know what to think! Please
clarify!

Thanks as always!
Sam in Los Angeles


Botanical nomenclature aside, most of the plants sold as Coleus are tender
perennials which are grown as annuals in most areas of the country. In a
frost free area of Los Angeles they will persist. In the coastal areas, some
will tolerate full sun, inland they will prefer shade.

--
elizabeth, Baton Rouge, LA ------------ former Sandog
http://community.webshots.com/user/elott63

You are only partially correct, Phish.

The cultivated "Coleus" (Solenostemon scutellarioides) IS in the Mint
family, Lamiaceae (Labiatae).

There is only one species involved but hundreds of selected cultivars (not
botanical varieties).

All plants will grow spindly without enough light. They will do much better
in a greenhouse.

The flowers of Solenostemon are not at all ugly. They may be rather small
and not showy by your standards but they are quite interesting and
intricate, especially when viewed with a hand lens. They are designed to
attract pollinators, not to impress you personally.

The plants are often used in high school botany experiments to demonstrate
photosynthesis and pigmentation.


Phisherman wrote in message
...
On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 03:30:41 GMT, Sam wrote:

Elizabeth wrote:
Coleus comes to mind.

As luck would have it, I was down at HomeDepot today (on other business)
and there was the sign "Assorted Varieties of Coleus ON SALE! $3.97) So
I picked one up! :-) Thanks for the info Elizabeth! Just one question:
Most info on this plant online indicates that it is an annual (i.e.
will die after one year), but the guy at HomeDepot (not their actual
assistants, this was another "customer" who happened to be a landscape
contractor) said that if this plant is kept in the shade, and in the
warmer climate of Los Angeles, it behaves as a perennial and won't die
at all. Now I am all confused and don't know what to think! Please
clarify!

Thanks as always!
Sam in Los Angeles

The guy at HD is correct. You can grow coleus as a house plant,
although it tends to get spindly without enough sunlight. If the
plants begin to look bad and send up numerous (ugly) flowers--you can
take cuttings and start over (I do this). There are hundreds of
varieties with different growing properties. Coleus are often used
in botany experiments and they are related to the mint family.

Botanical nomenclature aside, ALL the plants sold as "Coleus" are tender
perennials.

There are NO cold hardy species of Solenostemon or Plectranthus!!

The succulent, aromatic and the showy flowering species of Plectranthus are
very popular perennials in frost free parts of Florida and southern
California, probably Louisiana too. The succulent ones do very well in full
sun. The more herbaceous type will also thrive in full sun if given plenty
of water.


Elizabeth wrote in message
news:fBQlb.100349$a16.78632@lakeread01...

"Sam" wrote in message
...
Elizabeth wrote:
Coleus comes to mind.

As luck would have it, I was down at HomeDepot today (on other business)
and there was the sign "Assorted Varieties of Coleus ON SALE! $3.97) So
I picked one up! :-) Thanks for the info Elizabeth! Just one question:
Most info on this plant online indicates that it is an annual (i.e.
will die after one year), but the guy at HomeDepot (not their actual
assistants, this was another "customer" who happened to be a landscape
contractor) said that if this plant is kept in the shade, and in the
warmer climate of Los Angeles, it behaves as a perennial and won't die
at all. Now I am all confused and don't know what to think! Please
clarify!

Thanks as always!
Sam in Los Angeles


Botanical nomenclature aside, most of the plants sold as Coleus are tender
perennials which are grown as annuals in most areas of the country. In a
frost free area of Los Angeles they will persist. In the coastal areas,
some
will tolerate full sun, inland they will prefer shade.

--
elizabeth, Baton Rouge, LA ------------ former Sandog
http://community.webshots.com/user/elott63

On Thu, 23 Oct 2003 03:30:41 GMT, Sam wrote:

Most info on this plant online indicates that it is an annual (i.e.
will die after one year), but the guy at HomeDepot (not their actual
assistants, this was another "customer" who happened to be a landscape
contractor) said that if this plant is kept in the shade, and in the
warmer climate of Los Angeles, it behaves as a perennial and won't die
at all. Now I am all confused and don't know what to think! Please
clarify!

What's your climate like? The leaves will be damaged by the slightest touch of
frost, but the stems will hang on a little longer than extremely soft-stemmed
plants like for example impatiens and begonias. However, it's been my
experience that persistent nights below 45 degrees or so usually lead to root or
stem rot.

I agree. No cold hardy species of Solenostemon or Plectrantus. There are a
few Coleus x hybridus that are annuals even in frost free zones. Still, I
believe most of what you will find locally can be grown as a tender
perennial in most areas of Los Angeles.

--
elizabeth, Baton Rouge, LA
http://community.webshots.com/user/elott63


"Cereoid-UR12-" wrote in message
. com...
Botanical nomenclature aside, ALL the plants sold as "Coleus" are tender
perennials.

There are NO cold hardy species of Solenostemon or Plectranthus!!

The succulent, aromatic and the showy flowering species of Plectranthus
are
very popular perennials in frost free parts of Florida and southern
California, probably Louisiana too. The succulent ones do very well in
full
sun. The more herbaceous type will also thrive in full sun if given plenty
of water.


Elizabeth wrote in message
news:fBQlb.100349$a16.78632@lakeread01...

"Sam" wrote in message
...
Elizabeth wrote:
Coleus comes to mind.

As luck would have it, I was down at HomeDepot today (on other
business)
and there was the sign "Assorted Varieties of Coleus ON SALE! $3.97)
So
I picked one up! :-) Thanks for the info Elizabeth! Just one
question:
Most info on this plant online indicates that it is an annual (i.e.
will die after one year), but the guy at HomeDepot (not their actual
assistants, this was another "customer" who happened to be a landscape
contractor) said that if this plant is kept in the shade, and in the
warmer climate of Los Angeles, it behaves as a perennial and won't die
at all. Now I am all confused and don't know what to think! Please
clarify!

Thanks as always!
Sam in Los Angeles


Botanical nomenclature aside, most of the plants sold as Coleus are
tender
perennials which are grown as annuals in most areas of the country. In a
frost free area of Los Angeles they will persist. In the coastal areas,
some
will tolerate full sun, inland they will prefer shade.

--
elizabeth, Baton Rouge, LA ------------ former Sandog
http://community.webshots.com/user/elott63

Coleus x hybridus is an obsolete name. The various plants formerly described
as species of Coleus involved in the hybridization are all now considered to
be no more than selected leaf color forms of a single species correctly
named Solenostemon scutellarioides.


Elizabeth wrote in message
news:N%Ylb.100516$a16.40488@lakeread01...
I agree. No cold hardy species of Solenostemon or Plectrantus. There are
a
few Coleus x hybridus that are annuals even in frost free zones. Still, I
believe most of what you will find locally can be grown as a tender
perennial in most areas of Los Angeles.

--
elizabeth, Baton Rouge, LA
http://community.webshots.com/user/elott63


"Cereoid-UR12-" wrote in message
. com...
Botanical nomenclature aside, ALL the plants sold as "Coleus" are tender
perennials.

There are NO cold hardy species of Solenostemon or Plectranthus!!

The succulent, aromatic and the showy flowering species of Plectranthus
are
very popular perennials in frost free parts of Florida and southern
California, probably Louisiana too. The succulent ones do very well in
full
sun. The more herbaceous type will also thrive in full sun if given
plenty
of water.


Elizabeth wrote in message
news:fBQlb.100349$a16.78632@lakeread01...

"Sam" wrote in message
...
Elizabeth wrote:
Coleus comes to mind.

As luck would have it, I was down at HomeDepot today (on other
business)
and there was the sign "Assorted Varieties of Coleus ON SALE! $3.97)
So
I picked one up! :-) Thanks for the info Elizabeth! Just one
question:
Most info on this plant online indicates that it is an annual
(i.e.
will die after one year), but the guy at HomeDepot (not their actual
assistants, this was another "customer" who happened to be a
landscape
contractor) said that if this plant is kept in the shade, and in the
warmer climate of Los Angeles, it behaves as a perennial and won't
die
at all. Now I am all confused and don't know what to think! Please
clarify!

Thanks as always!
Sam in Los Angeles


Botanical nomenclature aside, most of the plants sold as Coleus are
tender
perennials which are grown as annuals in most areas of the country. In
a
frost free area of Los Angeles they will persist. In the coastal
areas,
some
will tolerate full sun, inland they will prefer shade.

--
elizabeth, Baton Rouge, LA ------------ former Sandog
http://community.webshots.com/user/elott63