Growing Black Dragon Coleus Garden Seeds
- Taxonomy: Plectranthus scutellarioides
- Other Names: Black Nettle, Flame Nettle
- Seed Type: Annual (Perennial in zones 10 – 11)
- Sow Indoors or Outdoors: Coleus seeds are popularly grown as both indoor and outdoor favorites. For earliest spring color, start Black Dragon seeds 8 – 12 weeks prior and will germinate in 7 – 14 days in full lighting. If planted outside, coleus is commonly repotted in the fall to be kept indoors over winter and reintroduced in the spring.
- Days to Maturity: 84 – 91 days
- Hardiness Zone: 4 – 11
- Planting Depth: Plant 2 – 3 seeds ¼” deep
- Plant Spacing: 10”
- Growth Habit: 12" tall dwarfed creeping shrub with a 10 – 12” spread of densely packed leaves
- Soil Preference: Loose, organically rich, well-drained
- Light Preference: Full sun – Partial shade
- Diseases/Pests/Troubleshooting: Black Dragon seeds will benefit from shade in long summers and direct heat. Do not let soil dry out, but do not over-saturate plants either. Coleus has no serious pests or insects, but monitor regularly for aphids and white flies, particularly on indoor plants.
- Color: Dark velvety red leaves with chocolate-tipped edges
Black Dragon coleus seeds are popularly grown as both indoor and outdoor favorites. For earliest spring color, start Black Dragon seeds 8 – 12 weeks prior and seeds will germinate in 7 – 14 days in full lighting. If planted outside, coleus is commonly repotted in the fall to be kept indoors over winter and reintroduced in the spring. Plant 2 – 3 Black Dragon coleus seeds 10" apart and ¼” deep into loose, organically rich, and well-drained soil in partial sun to partial shade. Black Dragon seeds will benefit from shade in long summers and direct heat. Do not let soil dry out, but do not over-saturate plants either. Coleus has no serious pests or insects, but monitor regularly for aphids and white flies, particularly on indoor plants. Black Dragon coleus seeds mature in 84 – 91 days as 12 – 15" tall dwarfed creeping shrubs with a 9 – 12” spread of densely packed leaves.
Plectranthus scutellarioides, or otherwise known as Coleus, is a shrubby native to the perennially warm climates of India, southeast Asia, and Australia, but has since been naturalized throughout many of the tropics. Plectranthus scutellarioides is also synonymous with Solenostemon scutellarioides (its former taxonomical name) and is in fact a member of the coleus genus.