Solenostemon FlameThrower Spice Curry

The Coleus Flame Thrower Spice Curry is a new variety that is remarkable both for the variegated colour of its leaves, its attractive dense habit, and its good tolerance to both sun and shade. The plant, particularly vibrant, forms a cushion covered with small golden leaves variegated with dark red and chartreuse throughout the season. It rarely flowers and requires little maintenance. Frost-sensitive, Coleus are cultivated as indoor plants or in the garden as annuals to decorate balconies and terraces. They also make particularly decorative plants in seasonal compositions.

Coléus, also known as Solenostemon or Plectranthus, are plants related to Basil. They belong to the mint family, as evidenced by their small bilabiate flowers with elongated lower lip, their fleshy square-sectioned stems, and their toothed and velvety leaves on the underside. This genus comprises around sixty species of tender shrubby perennials, native to Asia and tropical Africa. Horticulture has given rise to numerous hybrids and cultivars, including the Solenostemon scutellarioides of the 'Flame Thrower' series, selected for their ornamental qualities and ease of cultivation.

The Coleus 'Flame Thrower Spice Curry' forms compact clumps, not exceeding 40 cm (16in) in height and 45 cm (18in) in diameter in one season. The leaves are small, nicely toothed on the edges and slightly velvety. The center of the lamina is irregularly maculated with reddish-brown, forming a superb contrast with the rest of the leaf, which is yellow to chartreuse. The flowering, rare in this selection, is inconspicuous. It sometimes appears at the end of summer, in the form of small pale mauve-blue flowers. It is often advised to remove these flowers so that the plants do not exhaust themselves producing seeds and retain a generous foliage.

The coleus, sometimes called 'painted nettle' because of their incredibly diverse foliage, are irreplaceable for adding a beautiful exotic touch to any decor in the garden as well as in the house, where they will live for several years. They appreciate a semi-shady exposure, which can be found on the edge of a bed of tall perennials or bushes, or in a cool rockery, exposed to the north or east, away from the burning rays of the sun. They allow for the creation of small mosaic-like beds of colours and pair well with begonias in flower pots. The richness of their colours makes them somewhat difficult to pair: small ferns like Polypodium or purple misère (Tradescantia pallida) will be good companions for the Coleus Flame Thrower. They also go particularly well with begonias in flower pots.

Note: Please be aware that our young plug plants are professional products reserved for knowledgeable gardeners: upon receipt, transplant and store them under cover (veranda, greenhouse, cold frame) at a temperature above 14°C (57.2°F) for a few weeks before being planted outdoors once the risk of frost is definitively eliminated.