Did you know there are many stunning coleus varieties for sun? These newer coleus varieties thrive in both sun OR shade! Some varieties will get HUGE, and others remain smaller. There are even beautiful trailing varieties! Keep reading to learn more about about these sun loving varieties, along with my coleus care tipsat the end of this post, pictures of sun-loving coleus, and experiences from my own garden.
Me and my ColorBlaze Golden Dreams coleus. A wonderful variety for sun or shade.
After growing ColorBlaze Golden Dreams, I’m totally hooked on the ColorBlaze coleus line from Proven Winners and I am growing more and more of them. Here is why I love this line of coleus, and I know you will too:
The ColorBlaze line was trialed at the University of Florida in both all day sun AND also shade before being introduced, so they will grow literally anywhere you put them in your garden.
They are VERY slow to go to flower. I didn’t get my first flower spike until late summer, so that greatly minimized any deadheading and maintenance, so that the plant can focus its energy on foliage growth. Read my article about deadheading coleus for more information.
All the varieties are freely branching, so you never have to pinch your plants back to encourage bushiness.
For tips on growing gorgeous and gigantic coleus in pots, check out the very end of this post for information on fertilizing, watering, etc.
Table of Contents
COLEUS VARIETIES FOR SUN
1. ColorBlaze Golden Dreams
Height Range: 2 feet to 3 feet & 4 inches
Spread: 18 inches to 3 feet
I grew this Colorblaze Golden Dreams in full sun in my Ohio garden. I planted three small pots that were just a few inches tall in the beginning of the summer and it turned into this beast in just one season.
Golden Dreams is the first of the coleus varieties for sun that I’ve grown, and I’ve been obsessed ever since. I’ve grown these in full sun as well as partial shade.
One thing to remember about the color of coleus leaves is that it will vary depending on the light that you have them in.
Take a look at the comparison below. This is the same variety (Golden Dreams).
Left: Golden Dreams grown in the shade. Right: Golden Dreams grown in the sun.
It looks like a different plant! There is much more chartreuse for those grown in the shade. In full sun, you’ll have a lot more red.
Another aspect of the ColorBlaze coleus line that I LOVE is that the plants will freely branch out on their own. In the photos above of Golden Dreams, I never trimmed any of those plants and I started off with small plants at the beginning of the season.
2. ColorBlaze Rediculous
Height Range: 2 feet to 3 feet & 4 inches
Spread: 18 inches to 3 feet
ColorBlaze Rediculous that I planted with Proven Accents Plum Dandy. This should get nice and full by the end of summer.
The stunning red foliage on this plant is a delight! In the photo above, I placed my pot in front of a purplish Japanese maple to compliment the color. This variety should get as large as the Golden Dreams variety.
By mid-summer, look how beautiful and full the plant got.
ColorBlaze Rediculous Coleus
3. ColorBlaze Chocolate Drop
Height Range: 14-20 inches
Spread: 18 inches to 2 feet
ColorBlaze Chocolate Drop in the middle. I planted two sweet potato vines on either side. Left: Proven Accents Sweet Caroline Red Hawk. Right: Proven Accents Sweet Caroline Medusa Green.
This is a trailing variety with small chartreuse leaves that have a luscious chocolatey center. This is the first of two dwarf coleus varieties. It will take a little time before they start to trail, so you can use this as a “spiller” in your pots.
By mid-summer, look how big and gorgeous the plant is:
ColorBlaze Chocolate Drop Coleus
4. ColorBlaze Strawberry Drop
Height Range: 14-20 inches
Spread: 18 inches to 2 feet
ColorBlaze Strawberry drop that I planted in this cobalt blue pot long with Cordyline ‘Red Star’ and Proven Accents Purple Queen (Tradescantia)
And just a couple months later, look how beautiful the plant got.
This is the second of the dwarf varieties, and is another trailing variety. Who can resist the dainty green and red leaves?
5. ColorBlaze Torchlight
Height Range: 2 feet to 3 feet & 4 inches
Spread: 18 inches to 3 feet
ColorBlaze Torchlight Coleus
By mid-summer, the plant really grew dramatically.
ColorBlaze Torchlight Coleus
The tricolor foliage (fuschia, maroon and green) is just stunning! I can’t wait until this pot grows and gets huge.
6. ColorBlaze Wicked Witch
Height Range: 2 feet to 3 feet & 4 inches
Spread: 18 inches to 3 feet
ColorBlaze Wicked Witch Coleus
By mid-summer, look how big and lush the plant got.
ColorBlaze Wicked Witch Coleus
This is a beautiful larger variety with purplish centers and yellowish edges on the foliage. The ruffled edges on the foliages adds a nice touch.
This stunning variety has fuchsia and burgundy foliage and is truly eye-catching! Velveteen is shown above in the pot on the left, on the right side of the pot.
18. ColorBlaze Mini Me Watermelon
Height Range: 12-20 inches
Spread: 10-18 inches
This one will be hard to miss with its electric watermelon color and yellow highlights! This is a wonderful smaller growing Coleus for small spaces.
It still is naturally well-branched and perfect for sun or shade like any of the other coleus plants in this post. In the photo above, I planted 3 plants at the beginning of the season.
Although you can grow coleus indoors, they truly shine outdoors and express their greatest potential, especially in pots where you can control the soil mix and moisture requirements better.
Here are some tips that I used to grow my Coleus plants in pots (though you can certainly plant them in the ground as well).
My ColorBlaze ‘Golden Dreams’ coleus and me in our back garden.
LIGHT
All of the varieties on this page do well in full sun to full shade. If you live in a particularly hot and sunny location, your plants may benefit from a little shade.
Otherwise, feel free to place them in full sun to full shade. Be aware though that the coloration in the leaves won’t be as intense in the shade.
WATER
Keep your plants fairly moist and water abundantly, particularly in hot weather. As soon as the surface of the soil feels dry, I water.
You will know if your soil has dried out too much because the entire plant will quickly wilt. If you see this and your soil is bone dry, immediately give your plant a good, thorough watering and it will recover.
Please note that if you are growing your plants in sunny locations, they will dry out more quickly so you’ll have to be more attentive to them.
SOIL
For my outdoor pots, I simply use with Miracle Gro potting mix or ProMix. Lately I’ve been buying bales of ProMix since I do so many outdoor pots. Either one will work very well for your coleus.
FERTILIZER
At the time of planting, I make an application of Osmocote Plus. After a month, I make another application of Osmocote Plus.
Then after that, I like to water with Fish & Seaweed Fertilizer weekly. This will result in giant, gorgeous plants. And don’t worry, you will not get any fertilizer burn with this method.
TEMPERATURE
Coleus prefer warm to hot temperatures. I normally wait until temperatures are bare minimum 50°F before planting mine for the season. You will not be gaining much extra time if you plant them while temperatures are still cold.
Once temperatures heat up, they will quickly make up for lost time.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this post on coleus varieties for sun. They are no longer shade plants anymore, and these newer varieties can add a lot of spice to your garden. With brilliant color, fast growth and ease of care, what more can you ask for in a garden plant?
Great info here Rafael! Coleus was the first ever plant I grew indoors (hydroponics) and it was absolutely amazing until I had to leave for a few weeks and it went to flower. I actually took the initial cutting about a month before you posted the youtube video in 2023
I still have some pictures of mine that had a deep pink color at its peak, with the same green pattering on the lower branches shown where the light wasn't able to reach as much. It's basically a mix between a pink Rediculous and Golden Dreams
It grew over 6ft tall indoors from a small clone in only 10 months, with basic LEDs and a 10L dwc hydro bucket using a couple big airstones with daily foliar feeding, bi-weekly organic tea involving ewc/myco/molasses/liq kelp, and various methods like pinching certain nodes to create strong, solid bases for future growth. As long as you top coleus to form one main tall branch, it will continue to grow upwards for as long as you allow it in its vegetative state and form into a bonsai-type style rather quickly.
If you have any tips for allowing this water-hungry plant to thrive in hydroponics after it's been through one flowering phase, let me know! I still have it, but it's not nearly as vigorous as it once was (I don't have the will to throw it out after all this, even though I have many other clones growing in veg around my place lol)
Raffaele Di Lallo
Tuesday 25th of June 2024
Wow, that sounds like quite a specimen Adam! It sounds like you have a wonderful routine, so the only thing I would recommend is to trim it back to encourage a flush of new growth. :-)
Rhonda
Thursday 6th of June 2024
What size demensions are the pots you used for your coleus.
Raffaele Di Lallo
Saturday 8th of June 2024
They're in various sizes. Some are over a foot in diameter and others are less.
Mary Anne Boudreaux
Tuesday 7th of May 2024
I want to plant Coleus in pots as a landscape landscape feature in my front yard.
It's full sun and faces West. I live in Houston, would it survive?
Raffaele Di Lallo
Wednesday 8th of May 2024
Hi Mary Anne! You can try. The ColorBlaze line was trialed in Florida in full sun, so I would say that may have a good chance. Be sure to give the plants plenty of water.
Linda
Tuesday 9th of January 2024
Been growing coleus in pots for about 10 years, and I am still learning. Finally learned that they grow wonderfully in SUN (I have little shade). I love and promote them by giving them as gifts to my friends. I had two last summer that got as big as yours, and I was thrilled. Your plants are beautiful! Next summer, I will try your fertilizing method! Cannot wait until spring.
Raffaele
Wednesday 10th of January 2024
I'm glad you enjoyed the post Linda! So many just think of them as shade plants, but they are much more versatile! Good luck with your coleus plants :-)
Linda
Monday 23rd of October 2023
Can u blaze coleus in seed & where from
Liz
Saturday 27th of April 2024
@Raffaele, but I have had some wonderful colours from mine self seeding in the garden, Gold Coast, Qld, Australia
Raffaele
Tuesday 24th of October 2023
I don't think they will come true from seed unfortunately.
Adam
Thursday 20th of June 2024
Great info here Rafael! Coleus was the first ever plant I grew indoors (hydroponics) and it was absolutely amazing until I had to leave for a few weeks and it went to flower. I actually took the initial cutting about a month before you posted the youtube video in 2023
I still have some pictures of mine that had a deep pink color at its peak, with the same green pattering on the lower branches shown where the light wasn't able to reach as much. It's basically a mix between a pink Rediculous and Golden Dreams
It grew over 6ft tall indoors from a small clone in only 10 months, with basic LEDs and a 10L dwc hydro bucket using a couple big airstones with daily foliar feeding, bi-weekly organic tea involving ewc/myco/molasses/liq kelp, and various methods like pinching certain nodes to create strong, solid bases for future growth. As long as you top coleus to form one main tall branch, it will continue to grow upwards for as long as you allow it in its vegetative state and form into a bonsai-type style rather quickly.
If you have any tips for allowing this water-hungry plant to thrive in hydroponics after it's been through one flowering phase, let me know! I still have it, but it's not nearly as vigorous as it once was (I don't have the will to throw it out after all this, even though I have many other clones growing in veg around my place lol)
Raffaele Di Lallo
Tuesday 25th of June 2024
Wow, that sounds like quite a specimen Adam! It sounds like you have a wonderful routine, so the only thing I would recommend is to trim it back to encourage a flush of new growth. :-)
Rhonda
Thursday 6th of June 2024
What size demensions are the pots you used for your coleus.
Raffaele Di Lallo
Saturday 8th of June 2024
They're in various sizes. Some are over a foot in diameter and others are less.
Mary Anne Boudreaux
Tuesday 7th of May 2024
I want to plant Coleus in pots as a landscape landscape feature in my front yard. It's full sun and faces West. I live in Houston, would it survive?
Raffaele Di Lallo
Wednesday 8th of May 2024
Hi Mary Anne! You can try. The ColorBlaze line was trialed in Florida in full sun, so I would say that may have a good chance. Be sure to give the plants plenty of water.
Linda
Tuesday 9th of January 2024
Been growing coleus in pots for about 10 years, and I am still learning. Finally learned that they grow wonderfully in SUN (I have little shade). I love and promote them by giving them as gifts to my friends. I had two last summer that got as big as yours, and I was thrilled. Your plants are beautiful! Next summer, I will try your fertilizing method! Cannot wait until spring.
Raffaele
Wednesday 10th of January 2024
I'm glad you enjoyed the post Linda! So many just think of them as shade plants, but they are much more versatile! Good luck with your coleus plants :-)
Linda
Monday 23rd of October 2023
Can u blaze coleus in seed & where from
Liz
Saturday 27th of April 2024
@Raffaele, but I have had some wonderful colours from mine self seeding in the garden, Gold Coast, Qld, Australia
Raffaele
Tuesday 24th of October 2023
I don't think they will come true from seed unfortunately.