rooting a coleous branch

I am currently rooting a large branch of coleus which came off the shrub recently. It wasn't very healthy looking and snapped off easily, but it is growing roots in water quickly. I'm not sure if I should plant the whole branch intact, or if I should cut it down to a certain point (on the stem? first leaves?).

Part of what seemed unhealthy was the branch was woody brown towards the bottom, then mottled green, then straight green. Does that mean it is sick, or do coleus's get woody with age?

Thanks, Marissa

If it is growing roots out of only the green part of the stem, I'd cut the lower brown stem off. If roots are also growing out of the brown section of stem, go ahead and plant the whole thing. I don't remember if mine ever developed woody stems.

Rooting in water is a topic that has been debated to death on Dave's, and it exhausts me and I won't go there ever again. As far as rooting coleus cuttings in potting mix, the newer growth near the tips ALWAYS roots faster and better than the older, "woody" part. Yes, it's normal for the older stems to get woody. Coleus are not true annuals, and in areas where they grow year round they can develop hefty lower stems in a few years.

Thanks for your replies. I'm rooting the woody part. Theres a bunch of knobs on the woody part which roots are coming out of, but I didn't see those on the green part. What if I put the woody rooted part into mix and cut it really short on the stem... will it grow leaves?

Those odd roots you're seeing on the old woody stems are called adventitious roots. That means roots that appear in places where they normally don't. If you want to try to root some of those stems in soil or a potting mix- never water- you should leave a few leaves on the portion that sticks out of the soil. The plant needs to produce sugars as its food, and the leaves provide chlorophyll so photosynthesis can take place. Rarely, if you plant just a stem with no leaves, the cutting will be vigorous to send out new leaves and begin to develop, but with coleus that fails more often than it succeeds.

HELLO ALL,

I'M A NEWBIE @ GARDENING AND THOUGHT I'D SHARE MY BABY COLEUS PICTURE. THE LARGE GREEN PLANT.....THAT CAME FROM 1 SINGLE SEED OF A HUNGRIAN RED PEPPER PLANT. NOT ONE SINGLE BLOSSOM OR RED PEPPER.....I GUESS NOW I KNOW WHAT "DOES NOT COME TRUE FROM SEED" MEANS. I AM LEARNING THAT ONE NEEDS A HEALTHY SENSE OF HUMOUR WHILE LEARNING THE TRICKS OF THIS TRADE.

BTW, I PLUCKED THE COLEUS OF A PLANT LAST YEAR, KEPT IT INSIDE - IN A VASE OVER WINTER AND PLANTED IT AFTER FROST DANGER. I LOVE THE VIBRANT COLORS AND HOPE TO DO THE SAME AGAIN THIS YEAR.