'Sedona' Coleus hybrid

I recently planted the flowerbox the former tenent of my apartment put out on the fire escape. One of the plants is (obviously) a 'Sedona' Coleus Hybrid. Or at least that what was on the plastic tag stuck in the pot with a picture of the plant on it. It's growing well with the limited light it gets, and recently one of the plants has put out something that looks a bit like the top of a stalk of wheat (only green) in two places. Is this the start of a flower? I was told by the woman at the store it wouldn't flower. Not that I'm complaining. I can't find anything about this on the web, so I thought I'd try here.

Ken

Reply to
Ken
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yes, it's the flower spike. Pinch it out, so you'll have more branches of colorful leaves. Coleus flower, which you don't want them to do. They're grown for the beautiful leaves. To save some for next year, take cuttings and root them in water thru winter and plant in soil come springtime. If you let it flower, it will weaken and eventually kill the coleus. madgardener

Reply to
madgardener

I have let coleus grow into huge plants and let them bloom without killing them - at least not before the frost gets them. I agree that pinching the flowers is a good idea if you want them to be tidy. I couldn't recommend it simply to keep the plant alive. In fact, I find that if you let them flower and set seeds they will self-sow and return the next year here in zone 6. I have to pinch them back to keep them from getting too large. I simply take the cutting and strip off the lower leaves, poke a hole in the soil with my finger, and plant them. They nearly always root. I have some in planters on my deck that I am propagating that way this year.

Reply to
Vox Humana

I will try that next time! Thanks Vox! maddie always willing to try new things.

Reply to
madgardener

Agreed! I LOVE coleus, they are SUPER EASY to start from cuttings, I do it all the time. I plop them in moist potting soil and typically in 2-3 weeks if they are still rigid they most likely took root.

Reply to
Tom Randy

At first they tend to wilt for me because I just stick them in garden soil, but they nearly always survive and grow.

Reply to
Vox Humana

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