Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Any Coleus & Ear Lovers?, 0 by PlanterRik

PlanterRik wrote:
Kell – It’s nice to hear of a coleus getting its due! A couple of years ago I had some coleuses planted with larger EEs and, in the fight for light, they reached nearly five feet. Were the hardwood trunks you saw staked?

CC – I think the difficulty will depend on the complexity of the topiary form. A stem and a poof shouldn’t be tough. I think the trick is getting height quickly enough to get a full head before the plant runs out of steam. I’ve started different forms (teeny ducksfoots [ducksfeet?] to large-leafed giants). I’m going to try single and multiple trunks – three trunks might produce a fuller top or be better for goofy shapes. I’ve started enough to play with. I recounted, and I have NINE trays – and I’ve snipped a bunch of cuttings of three different Plectranthuses. I started some cuttings of a dwarf double Impatiens, too. We’ll have to compare notes!

I’m going to step up pot sizes slowly so they will compete for height. They’ll be in shade at first to elongate the trunks. I tried growing them in tubes last year, but that didn’t work well – they just got to the top of the tube and hung out at that height.

Eclipse – It’s a good to know someone else has this coleus compulsion. There’s such a diversity, they’re so colorful and easy to work with. I see you have Red Trailing Queen – I haven’t been able to find that one this year. What I like about your white-bordered sport is the contrasting reverse. Aurora is one of my favorites – a cream surface with a pink underside. It’s beautiful in a spot where light will comes through it – the pink illuminates the surface – which is probably how it got its name. I wish Aurora was easier to root and establish. Does your white-edged root well? I just got another with a contrasting reverse -- Orange King (which isn’t orange). It is antique gold backed with deep wine.

Janet – Righto – the white-splashed ear is A. macrorrhiza variegata.

Vossner – Thanks for the props. I’ve had variegated macros for a couple of years. I just divided a couple of pots and couldn’t believe how many ‘nuts’ I found! I can’t wait to see the patterns they put up! I posted a picture of a pure white one, thinking that it couldn’t survive, but it’s putting up another white leaf. (I hope I’m not jinxing it.)

Yep, that is Hilo Beauty. I have one that is about three times that size, but I’ve never felt like I’ve gotten a Hilo to max size. I don’t know how big they’ll get, but I haven’t seen a really large one. My newest Caladium is humboldtii. It’s a natural species – tiny white leaves veined with green. It’s going to be great with large-leafed, solid-colored coleuses.

Here's one of my favorite pairings -- Schizophrenia with Colocasia affinis jenningsii -- sorry the pic's not great.