About
Coleus scutellarioides 'Chocolate Mint' is a tender perennial that reaches a height of up to 35 cm. It features square stems adorned with deep purple foliage edged in vibrant lime green. Commonly utilized in summer bedding arrangements, it is frequently cultivated as an annual for its striking leaf coloration.
About the genus
This genus consists of annual or perennial herbs and shrubs, with some species exhibiting succulent or tuberous characteristics. They are among the simplest plants to propagate. The soft-textured foliage contributes rich colors, including red, pink, green, and purple, enhancing garden beds, borders, and container arrangements.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun, Partial shade
- Soil type
- Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
- Soil pH
- Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
- Soil moisture
- Moist but well-drained
- Aspect
- East-facing, South-facing, West-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H1C
Plant details
- Plant type
- Bedding
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 1-2 years
- Suggested uses
- City and courtyard gardens, Mediterranean climate plants, Patio and container plants, Sub-tropical
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Under glass grow in peat-free potting compost in full light or partial shade. Water freely in growth and apply a high-nitrogen every 2 weeks. Outdoors, plant out after the last frosts into humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in sun or partial shade. Pinch out young shoots and emerging flower spikes and to keep plants compact
- Pruning
- Pinch out growing tips to promote bushiness
- Propagation
- Propagate by cuttings
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to mealybugs, scale insects, glasshouse whitefly and slugs
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free