Growing Coleus in Your Houston, Texas Garden

Coleus is a wonderful plant if you are looking to add color to your Houston, Texas garden. This annual is a great choice for groundcover, and there are many varieties that do very well in the Houston, Texas heat and humidity. Its leaves come in breathtaking colors, including plum, pink, gold, salmon and lime green. Coleus also has small flowers that will attract butterflies and bees to your garden, but it is its gorgeous leaves that usually steal the show. Think you might enjoy growing Coleus in your own Houston, Texas garden? Try planting some of the varieties below.

Alabama Sunset. This gorgeous Coleus seems to love the heat and humidity of Houston, Texas. It has leaves that are edged in red and streaked with a greenish gold. This hard to kill plant is disease resistant, and can take the cold down to 35 degrees. Plant it in full sun to partial shade in the spring or summer, and it will flower all summer long. This Coleus is a great choice for your Houston, Texas shade garden; it also does very well in containers.

Burgundy Sun. As its name implies, this Coleus has beautiful burgundy leaves which only grow richer with color as the Houston, Texas summer progresses. It does best when planted in full sun to partial shade, and well drained soil will cause it to grow larger (it can reach heights of up to three feet.) This Coleus is a good choice for mixed borders, or to use as an accent plant in your Houston, Texas garden.

Ducksfoot Super. Plant this Coleus in full sun to partial shade in your Houston, Texas garden and enjoy its dark red and green leaves, which are edged with bright green and yellow. It also has purple flowers that will bloom in the summer. The leaves resemble ducks' feet, hence this Coleus' name, and will add a striking splash of color to your shade garden. It also does very well in container gardens. This Coleus is a Texas Superstar.

Plum Parfait. Another Texas Superstar, this Coleus has plum-colored leaves that become edged in pink as the Houston, Texas summer progresses. It is disease resistant and tolerates cold temperatures down to 40 degrees. Plant this Coleus in full sun to partial shade, and it will reach heights of up to three feet. This is a great choice for mixed borders as well as groundcover in your Houston, Texas garden.

Salmon Lace. If you are looking for a striking plant for your Houston, Texas garden, try planting this Coleus. It has leaves that are painted with rose, white, burgundy and salmon, and its burgundy flowers will attract butterflies and bees to your Houston, Texas garden. Plant it in full sun to partial shade, where it will bloom from late spring through early summer.

Wild Lime. This Coleus does well whether planted in the sun or shade. It has lime green, ruffled leaves splashed with gold, and the more sun it gets, the more gold it becomes. Plant this hard to kill Coleus in the spring or summer in your Houston, Texas garden, where it will bloom with purple leaves during the hot months. This Coleus is disease resistant and tolerates cold down to 35 degrees.

Source list:

Personal experience
http://www.chron.com/apps/chron_data/plants.mpl