DeWerth, A. F.

Texas A&amp;M Repository

~U ()cJO / L-639 NEW COLEUS for Texas Gardens A. F. DEWERTH Professor of Floriculture Department of Soil and Crop Sciences TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY Ancient civilizations cultivated plants mainly for medi-cinal or food flavoring purposes. The mint family includes many such plants still grown in modern gardens from which condiments such as rosemary, sage, lavender, thyme, horehound, lemon balm and majoram are derived. When the medicinal and useful plants of the mint family found their way into the monastery gardens of Europe, a highly ornamental member of this same family, Coleus, also became popular because of its brilliant foli-. age colors. Since then, the Coleus has been grown in gardens everywhere. Coleus blumei is a tender perennial native to Java and today there are many varieties characterized by their variegated and highly colorful leaves. Cuttings of the Texas Ae:?--M University intro-ductions are not available from this university, but should be purchased from commercial sources. TEXAS A&ll UNIVERSITY TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION • • • TWS AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE Colle1e Station, Texas Texas A&M Coleus plants produce spikes of small, pale blue to white flowers, but the flowering habit is insignif-icant compared with the outstanding foliage color. The plants have a shrubby growth habit, some-times reaching a height of 3 to 4 feet in one growing season. When allowed to grow naturally without any training, they tend to produce open, rather leggy shapes. Frequent pinching during the growing season will produce attractive, comp'act plants. Pinch out the flowers to prevent the plants using their vigor to pro-mote flower and seed setting, which also contributes to leggy open growth habits. Regular pinching out of the tips of new growth will induce new shoots to de-velop and fill the open bare spots with new foliage. Loose, well-drained soil, with .ample moisture, is preferred for coleus. Monthly applications of a complete garden fertilizer high in nitrogen, such as a 2-1-1 ratio, give excellent results. Coleus thrive and produce the most vivid foliage colors in sunny locations, except in the hot, dry areas of Texas. In such situations, wind-free, partly shaded places are best. Aphids and mealy bugs occasionally threaten coleus plants. Two or three applications of malathion or lindane sprays, made at 10-day intervals, will control these pests. Follow directions on the manufacturer's label. Periodic inspections for signs of these insects and immediate control measures upon discovery will prevent serious infestations. Most of the named varieties of Coleus described herein must be propagated vegetatively since they do not come true to type from seed. They are easy to propagate from simple stem cuttings. Even inexperi-enced gardeners can have a source of cuttings by carry-ing the plants indoors to overwinter in pots. Freshly rooted plants are best for planting in a garden each year. HOW TO ROOT CUTTINGS Cuttings are made from the tips of plants. They should be long enough to contain three sets of leaves below the tip. Remove the bottom pair of leaves and cut just below the node where these two leaves arose. Stick the cutting in to a depth so that the next set of leaves is just above the surface of the propagating medium. Disease-free, light-weight Texas A&M propagating medium of 50 percent horticultural grade perlite and 50 percent sphagnum peat moss gives excellent results. Moisten the mixture thoroughly and fill the pot or flat to be used for rooting the cuttings to the top with this medium. Firm it down well. Then stick in the cuttings as described previously. Firm the mixture around them. Place the pot or flat of cuttings inside a cellophane or polyethylene bag and seal it with a pin, staple or paper clip. About 7 days later, open the top of the bag, but leave the pot or flat inside the bag. After another 5 to 7 days, remove the bag and the cuttings (Continued on page 4) TEXAS A&M INTRODUCTIONS AGGI ELAND Broad, deeply scalloped lanceolate leaves; center brilliant rose pink blotched with creamy yellow surrounded by chocolate brown zone and bordered with narrow irregular green edge. ANNA PFITZER Spotted Beauty Lanceolate leaves with deeply scalloped very wavy margins. Bright yellowish green with prominent creamy yellow veins, basal spot and petioles. AUTUMN Shallow-scalloped leaves, deep purplish red to reddish brown lightly flecked with deep pink and greenish yellow spots. BLACKBURN Long, linear, deeply crinkled leaves, purplish red, edged and tipped with dark green and yellow. CRIMSON VELVET Deeply scalloped leaves with wavy and crinkled margins . Dark purplish red with lighter purplish red to pink areas throughout each leaf. FRECKLES Brilliant primrose yellow leaves with shallow-scalloped margins, overlaid with blotches and tones of reddish brown through yellowish green. JAYNES GIANT Extr~mely large wide leaves of brilliant lemon yellow splashed and mottled with large red to reddish brown spots and blotches. LAING'S CROTON Linear, scalloped and deeply crinkled leaves, with highly variable coloring from almost solid red, green or yellow to all combinations of shades, tints and tones of these colors. LINCOLN " Moderate-sized leaves with shallow-scalloped margins. Lemon yellow ground flecked with red and reddish brown spots and blotches. MRS. HODGES Shallow-scalloped, linear curved and crinkled leaves with salmon pink central zone bor-dered with a wide band of pink to olive green; edged with a thin line of yellowish green . PEGASUS Large relatively brciad leaves with shallow-scalloped margins. The major portion of the leaf area dark purplish red with green undertones. The edges of the leaves are colored in a similar manner and broad lateral areas of yellow flecked with green. PINEAPPLE BEAUTY Large leaves with shallow-scalloped margins. The basal portion of the leaf blade and petiole dark maroon and the remainder of the leaf bright yellowish green. RED CROTON Linear, scalloped and deeply crinkled leaves. The center zone pinkish red and the mar-gins maroon. SPOTTED BEAUTY Compact plant with . broad linear leaves deeply scalloped margins with a central zone of creamy white bordered by bright yellowish green. Light red irregular flecking on leaves and petioles. TEXAS A&M Deeply scalloped, broadly lanceolate leaves. Deep maroon to black with white spot at base of leaf blade and bright rose midribs and narrow bright green margin. TEXAS GOLD Broad lanceolate leaves with shallow-scalloped margins. Bright greenish yellow with occasional and irregular maroon spots and blotches. TEXAS SPLASH Lanceolate leaves with medium-scalloped margins. Leaves blotched, mottled and flecked with shades and tones of bright green, primrose yellow, maroon and brilliant rose. TEXAS SUNSET Lanceolate leaves with deeply scalloped margins. The central zone brilliant rose red surrounded by an irregular olive brown band and edged with a narrow yellowish green border. TWELFTH MAN Lanceolate leaves with shallow-scalloped margins. Deep maroon with a very narrow brilliant green border. VESUVIUS Medium to wide leaves with shallow-scalloped margins. Main portion of the leaves red overlaid with chocolate brown and marked with darker areas. The leaf borders edged in golden yellow to pale green. Blackburn Autumn Crimson Velvet Texas Sunset Mrs. Hodges Lincoln Texas Splash will be rooted and ready for potting. Follow this procedure for rooting cuttings from pots grown in-doors over the winter months for transplanting to the garden. Coleus cuttings also root readily in water. Place them in a jar or glass of water so that only the lower end of the cutting is immersed. Roots will form in 10 days to 2 weeks. COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION For fast, high-quality production, commercial pro-ducers should follow these steps: • Use the Texas A&M Standard Lightweight Growing Medium, prepared as follows for 1 cubic yard ·of mixture: 13.5 cu. ft. horticultural grade perlite 13.5 cu. ft. sphagnum peat moss 5 .0 lb. superphosphate (20 % I 10.0 lb. dolomite 5.0 lb. complete fertilizer (8-12-4 analysis) 3 .0 oz. chelated iron • Mix these ingredients together thoroughly. • Pot three rooted cuttings per 6-inch azalea pot in this medium. • · Immediately after potting, water the cuttings with a standard starter solution of 20-20-20, 10-52-17 or 14-28-14 at the rate of 12 ounces per 100 gallons of water, plus 16 ounces of Aqua-Gro, a nonionic wet-ting agent, to insure uniform moistening of the medium. • Fertilize with every watering thereafter, using a completely soluble fertilizer with 20-20-20 analysis at the rate of 12 ounces per 100 gallons of water until 3 weeks before the plants are to be sold. • Pinch the tips of the cuttings using a tip-inch 7 days after potting. Then pinch every 2 weeks for the next 6 weeks. • At the end of 9 weeks, a salable, specimen, high-quality plant should result. Freckles Pegasus GROWING COLEUS FROM SEED Other types of coleus can be grown from seed. Sow the seed thinly over the surface of the same mixture used for rooting cuttings. Do not cover them. Place the flat or pot in a polyethylene or cellophane bag and seal it as recommended for rooting cuttings. When the seed germinate, remove the containers from the bag and keep the surface of the medium moist until the seedlings are large enough for transporting. Many years ago, innumerable named varieties of Coleus were cultivated and widely available to garden-ers, but eventually these varieties diminished until very few named sorts were available and only mixtures of the various types could be produced from seed. In 1962, the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, in cooperation with the New Crops Research Branch, U. S. Department of Agriculture, began a study to de-termine and develop a number of named varieties from plant introductions and by hybridization and se-lection that would be well adapted for commercial pro-duction as a greenhouse pot plant crop and for general garden use. This program made possible the introduction of 20 named varieties of Coleus blumei, both suitable for rapid, high-quality pot plant crop production for year-round sales and especially well adapted to the prevail-ing environment in Texas homes and gardens. Coleus varieties usually are planted outdoors in the spring as annuals. In the milder climates of Texas, these plants can continue to grow outdoors throughout the year. In other areas, they can be grown indoors for indoor landscapes or in containers for the home. They grow equally well in containers or in the open ground .. Foliage forms, sizes and configurations vary widely among the varieties. They range from oval shapes as wide as 4 inches or more to the elongated, lanceolate, twisted and curled shapes of all sizes and dimensions. The leaf margins may be crenate, scalloped-toothed, fringed or serrate. Foliage colors in Coleus have a wider range than those of any other variegated-leaved garden plant. The colors include shades and tints of buff, cream, green, maroon, peach, pink, orange, red, rose, salmon and yellow. All Texas A&M introductions have an out-standing characteristic of holding the vivid colorings of foliage throughout the year. Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Texas A&M University and the United States Department of Agriculture cooperating. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8, 1914, as amended, and June 30, 1914. 50M-9-64 

New Coleus for Texas Gardens.

Texas A&M University

~U ()cJO 
/ 
L-639 
NEW COLEUS 
for 
Texas Gardens 
A. F. DEWERTH 
Professor of Floriculture 
Department of Soil and Crop Sciences 
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY 
Ancient civilizations cultivated plants mainly for medi-
cinal or food flavoring purposes. The mint family 
includes many such plants still grown in modern 
gardens from which condiments such as rosemary, sage, 
lavender, thyme, horehound, lemon balm and majoram 
are derived. 
When the medicinal and useful plants of the mint 
family found their way into the monastery gardens of 
Europe, a highly ornamental member of this same family, 
Coleus, also became popular because of its brilliant foli-
. age colors. Since then, the Coleus has been grown in 
gardens everywhere. 
Coleus blumei is a tender perennial native to Java 
and today there are many varieties characterized by their 
variegated and highly colorful leaves. 
Cuttings of the Texas Ae:?--M University intro-
ductions are not available from this university, but should 
be purchased from commercial sources. 
TEXAS A&ll UNIVERSITY 
TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION • • • TWS AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION SERVICE 
Colle1e Station, Texas 
Texas A&M 
Coleus plants produce spikes of small, pale blue 
to white flowers, but the flowering habit is insignif-
icant compared with the outstanding foliage color. 
The plants have a shrubby growth habit, some-
times reaching a height of 3 to 4 feet in one growing 
season. When allowed to grow naturally without any 
training, they tend to produce open, rather leggy 
shapes. Frequent pinching during the growing season 
will produce attractive, comp'act plants. Pinch out the 
flowers to prevent the plants using their vigor to pro-
mote flower and seed setting, which also contributes 
to leggy open growth habits. Regular pinching out of 
the tips of new growth will induce new shoots to de-
velop and fill the open bare spots with new foliage. 
Loose, well-drained soil, with .ample moisture, 
is preferred for coleus. Monthly applications of a 
complete garden fertilizer high in nitrogen, such as 
a 2-1-1 ratio, give excellent results. 
Coleus thrive and produce the most vivid foliage 
colors in sunny locations, except in the hot, dry areas 
of Texas. In such situations, wind-free, partly shaded 
places are best. 
Aphids and mealy bugs occasionally threaten coleus 
plants. Two or three applications of malathion or 
lindane sprays, made at 10-day intervals, will control 
these pests. Follow directions on the manufacturer's 
label. Periodic inspections for signs of these insects 
and immediate control measures upon discovery will 
prevent serious infestations. 
Most of the named varieties of Coleus described 
herein must be propagated vegetatively since they do 
not come true to type from seed. They are easy to 
propagate from simple stem cuttings. Even inexperi-
enced gardeners can have a source of cuttings by carry-
ing the plants indoors to overwinter in pots. Freshly 
rooted plants are best for planting in a garden each year. 
HOW TO ROOT CUTTINGS 
Cuttings are made from the tips of plants. They 
should be long enough to contain three sets of leaves 
below the tip. Remove the bottom pair of leaves and 
cut just below the node where these two leaves arose. 
Stick the cutting in to a depth so that the next set of 
leaves is just above the surface of the propagating 
medium. 
Disease-free, light-weight Texas A&M propagating 
medium of 50 percent horticultural grade perlite and 
50 percent sphagnum peat moss gives excellent results. 
Moisten the mixture thoroughly and fill the pot or flat 
to be used for rooting the cuttings to the top with 
this medium. Firm it down well. Then stick in the 
cuttings as described previously. Firm the mixture 
around them. 
Place the pot or flat of cuttings inside a cellophane 
or polyethylene bag and seal it with a pin, staple or 
paper clip. About 7 days later, open the top of the 
bag, but leave the pot or flat inside the bag. After 
another 5 to 7 days, remove the bag and the cuttings 
(Continued on page 4) 
TEXAS A&M INTRODUCTIONS 
AGGI ELAND 
Broad, deeply scalloped lanceolate leaves; center brilliant rose pink blotched with 
creamy yellow surrounded by chocolate brown zone and bordered with narrow irregular 
green edge. 
ANNA PFITZER Spotted Beauty 
Lanceolate leaves with deeply scalloped very wavy margins. Bright yellowish green 
with prominent creamy yellow veins, basal spot and petioles. 
AUTUMN 
Shallow-scalloped leaves, deep purplish red to reddish brown lightly flecked with deep 
pink and greenish yellow spots. 
BLACKBURN 
Long, linear, deeply crinkled leaves, purplish red, edged and tipped with dark green 
and yellow. 
CRIMSON VELVET 
Deeply scalloped leaves with wavy and crinkled margins . Dark purplish red with lighter 
purplish red to pink areas throughout each leaf. 
FRECKLES 
Brilliant primrose yellow leaves with shallow-scalloped margins, overlaid with blotches 
and tones of reddish brown through yellowish green. 
JAYNES GIANT 
Extr~mely large wide leaves of brilliant lemon yellow splashed and mottled with large 
red to reddish brown spots and blotches. 
LAING'S CROTON 
Linear, scalloped and deeply crinkled leaves, with highly variable coloring from almost 
solid red, green or yellow to all combinations of shades, tints and tones of these colors. 
LINCOLN 
" Moderate-sized leaves with shallow-scalloped margins. Lemon yellow ground flecked 
with red and reddish brown spots and blotches. 
MRS. HODGES 
Shallow-scalloped, linear curved and crinkled leaves with salmon pink central zone bor-
dered with a wide band of pink to olive green; edged with a thin line of yellowish green . 
PEGASUS 
Large relatively brciad leaves with shallow-scalloped margins. The major portion of the 
leaf area dark purplish red with green undertones. The edges of the leaves are colored in 
a similar manner and broad lateral areas of yellow flecked with green. 
PINEAPPLE BEAUTY 
Large leaves with shallow-scalloped margins. The basal portion of the leaf blade and 
petiole dark maroon and the remainder of the leaf bright yellowish green. 
RED CROTON 
Linear, scalloped and deeply crinkled leaves. The center zone pinkish red and the mar-
gins maroon. 
SPOTTED BEAUTY 
Compact plant with . broad linear leaves deeply scalloped margins with a central zone 
of creamy white bordered by bright yellowish green. Light red irregular flecking on leaves 
and petioles. 
TEXAS A&M 
Deeply scalloped, broadly lanceolate leaves. Deep maroon to black with white spot at 
base of leaf blade and bright rose midribs and narrow bright green margin. 
TEXAS GOLD 
Broad lanceolate leaves with shallow-scalloped margins. Bright greenish yellow with 
occasional and irregular maroon spots and blotches. 
TEXAS SPLASH 
Lanceolate leaves with medium-scalloped margins. Leaves blotched, mottled and flecked 
with shades and tones of bright green, primrose yellow, maroon and brilliant rose. 
TEXAS SUNSET 
Lanceolate leaves with deeply scalloped margins. The central zone brilliant rose red 
surrounded by an irregular olive brown band and edged with a narrow yellowish green border. 
TWELFTH MAN 
Lanceolate leaves with shallow-scalloped margins. Deep maroon with a very narrow 
brilliant green border. 
VESUVIUS 
Medium to wide leaves with shallow-scalloped margins. Main portion of the leaves red 
overlaid with chocolate brown and marked with darker areas. The leaf borders edged in 
golden yellow to pale green. 
Blackburn 
Autumn 
Crimson Velvet 
Texas Sunset 
Mrs. Hodges 
Lincoln 
Texas Splash 
will be rooted and ready for potting. Follow this 
procedure for rooting cuttings from pots grown in-
doors over the winter months for transplanting to the 
garden. 
Coleus cuttings also root readily in water. Place 
them in a jar or glass of water so that only the lower 
end of the cutting is immersed. Roots will form in 
10 days to 2 weeks. 
COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION 
For fast, high-quality production, commercial pro-
ducers should follow these steps: 
• Use the Texas A&M Standard Lightweight 
Growing Medium, prepared as follows for 1 cubic 
yard ·of mixture: 
13.5 cu. ft. horticultural grade perlite 
13.5 cu. ft. sphagnum peat moss 
5 .0 lb. superphosphate (20 % I 
10.0 lb. dolomite 
5.0 lb. complete fertilizer 
(8-12-4 analysis) 
3 .0 oz. chelated iron 
• Mix these ingredients together thoroughly. 
• Pot three rooted cuttings per 6-inch azalea pot 
in this medium. 
• · Immediately after potting, water the cuttings 
with a standard starter solution of 20-20-20, 10-52-17 
or 14-28-14 at the rate of 12 ounces per 100 gallons of 
water, plus 16 ounces of Aqua-Gro, a nonionic wet-
ting agent, to insure uniform moistening of the medium. 
• Fertilize with every watering thereafter, using 
a completely soluble fertilizer with 20-20-20 analysis 
at the rate of 12 ounces per 100 gallons of water until 
3 weeks before the plants are to be sold. 
• Pinch the tips of the cuttings using a tip-inch 
7 days after potting. Then pinch every 2 weeks for 
the next 6 weeks. 
• At the end of 9 weeks, a salable, specimen, 
high-quality plant should result. 
Freckles Pegasus 
GROWING COLEUS FROM SEED 
Other types of coleus can be grown from seed. 
Sow the seed thinly over the surface of the same 
mixture used for rooting cuttings. Do not cover them. 
Place the flat or pot in a polyethylene or cellophane 
bag and seal it as recommended for rooting cuttings. 
When the seed germinate, remove the containers from 
the bag and keep the surface of the medium moist 
until the seedlings are large enough for transporting. 
Many years ago, innumerable named varieties of 
Coleus were cultivated and widely available to garden-
ers, but eventually these varieties diminished until very 
few named sorts were available and only mixtures of 
the various types could be produced from seed. In 
1962, the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, in 
cooperation with the New Crops Research Branch, U. 
S. Department of Agriculture, began a study to de-
termine and develop a number of named varieties 
from plant introductions and by hybridization and se-
lection that would be well adapted for commercial pro-
duction as a greenhouse pot plant crop and for general 
garden use. 
This program made possible the introduction of 
20 named varieties of Coleus blumei, both suitable for 
rapid, high-quality pot plant crop production for year-
round sales and especially well adapted to the prevail-
ing environment in Texas homes and gardens. 
Coleus varieties usually are planted outdoors in 
the spring as annuals. In the milder climates of Texas, 
these plants can continue to grow outdoors throughout 
the year. In other areas, they can be grown indoors 
for indoor landscapes or in containers for the home. 
They grow equally well in containers or in the open 
ground .. 
Foliage forms, sizes and configurations vary widely 
among the varieties. They range from oval shapes as 
wide as 4 inches or more to the elongated, lanceolate, 
twisted and curled shapes of all sizes and dimensions. 
The leaf margins may be crenate, scalloped-toothed, 
fringed or serrate. 
Foliage colors in Coleus have a wider range than 
those of any other variegated-leaved garden plant. The 
colors include shades and tints of buff, cream, green, 
maroon, peach, pink, orange, red, rose, salmon and 
yellow. All Texas A&M introductions have an out-
standing characteristic of holding the vivid colorings 
of foliage throughout the year. 
Cooperative Extension Work in Agriculture and Home Economics, Texas A&M University and the United States 
Department of Agriculture cooperating. Distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8, 1914, as 
amended, and June 30, 1914. 
50M-9-64 


English

https://oaktrust.library.tamu.edu/bitstream/1969.1/162769/4/639/Leaf0639.pdf

New Coleus for Texas Gardens.

Abstract

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Texas A&M Repository

Texas A&M University

New Coleus for Texas Gardens.

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Texas A&amp;M Repository

Texas A&M University

Texas A&M Repository