Coleus (Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME)

Overview

Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME stands out in the garden due to its brilliant chartreuse-green foliage, making it a highly desirable ornamental Coleus cultivar. This plant is genetically versatile, thriving across a wide spectrum of light, from deep shade to significant sun exposure, adapting its growth habit accordingly. As a member of the colorful Coleus group, this specific selection, Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME, offers reliably bright color without demanding extensive care.

This species is valued primarily for its foliage, which features rounded teeth along the margins and creates a mounded, bushy shape ideal for focal points or mass plantings. Gardeners appreciate its low maintenance needs and ability to provide nearly season-long impact, especially when planted in beds or containers. While officially hardy only in tropical Zones 10-11, it is widely grown as a colorful annual throughout most temperate regions.

Fast Facts

• Plant Family: Lamiaceae
• Plant Type: Annual
• Hardiness Zones: USDA Zones 10-11
• Size at Maturity:
  • Height: 2-3.25 ft
  • Spread: 1.5-2.5 ft
• Bloom Time: Flowers not showy
• Bloom Description: Flowers not showy
• Sun Exposure: Part shade
• Water Needs: Medium
• Maintenance Level: Low

How to Grow

For optimal performance, plant Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME where it receives part shade, though this cultivar is known for its sun tolerance. The key to healthy growth is planting it in evenly moist, well-draining soil. If you are starting this Coleus indoors from seed, begin 8-12 weeks before your area’s last expected frost date. Starter plants are readily available at nurseries in the spring for immediate placement into beds or containers.

Watering requirements are medium; ensure the soil remains consistently moist but never waterlogged to prevent root issues. To maintain a dense, bushy habit, gardeners should proactively pinch back the stems. This pruning redirects energy into lateral branching, enhancing the visual appeal of the foliage and preventing legginess.

The terminal flower spikes produced by this Coleus are typically inconspicuous and pale blue; many growers choose to remove these blooms to keep the plant’s energy focused entirely on foliage development. If you wish to keep your favorite Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME plants beyond one season, they can be overwintered. Either bring containers indoors before the first frost or carefully dig up the plants, repot them, and treat them as houseplants until spring.

Landscape Uses

As a highly adaptable bedding plant, Coleus, especially the vibrant Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME, provides reliable annual color in shaded borders where other flowering annuals might struggle. Its bright chartreuse ensures it stands out, even when competing with taller plantings. Its manageable size, reaching over 3 feet tall and spreading wide, makes it excellent for filling space in mixed borders.

This plant truly excels in containers and hanging baskets, offering lush texture and brilliant contrast against darker foliage or deep-colored flowering companions. Use it in pots on decks and patios, where its performance can be monitored closely, or use it to edge walkways. Because it performs well in shade, consider pairing Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME with deep purple Heuchera or dark-leafed Impatiens for dramatic color blocking.

Standout Features

Flower Qualities

• Insignificant

Noteworthy Characteristics

The genus Plectranthus, commonly known as Coleus, encompasses diverse forms appreciated for their spectacular, nearly infinite variety of leaf colors. Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME is a patented hybrid selection specifically noted for its well-branched structure and distinctly chartreuse-green foliage with softly rounded teeth. While the plant produces small, pale blue flowers on terminal spikes, these are generally not showy and are often removed to maximize vegetative growth.

Tolerances

No specific tolerances were listed for this cultivar, but as a general Coleus trait, avoid extreme dryness.

Potential Problems

Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME exhibits a generally low susceptibility to serious insect or disease challenges, contributing to its low maintenance rating. However, gardeners should remain vigilant for potential sporadic infestations of common houseplant and greenhouse pests. Specifically watch for signs of mealybugs, which cluster in leaf axils, and spider mites, which thrive in hot, dry conditions, though this Coleus prefers consistent moisture. Ensuring good air circulation around the plants, especially when grown densely in containers, will help mitigate humidity-related issues.

Frequently Asked Questions

What hardiness zones is Coleus (Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME) suitable for?

This perennial Coleus is hardy only in USDA Zones 10 through 11, meaning it is typically grown as an annual elsewhere.

How large does Coleus (Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME) grow?

Mature plants generally reach a height between 2 and 3.25 feet tall, spreading outwards to fill an area 1.5 to 2.5 feet wide.

What sun exposure does Coleus (Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME) need?

While the general recommendation is part shade for most Coleus, Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME is noted as a sun-tolerant selection that performs best with the densest color when planted in full sun to part shade.

When does Coleus (Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME) bloom?

The flowers produced by this plant are not showy and are generally considered insignificant compared to the striking foliage.

Conclusion

The Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME provides unparalleled, low-effort foliage color adaptable to nearly any light level, making it a staple for both container gardens and annual bedding schemes. Take advantage of the easy propagation methods available for this Coleus—simple cuttings root readily in water or soil—to expand your display next season. Before planting, always confirm that your local frost dates align with its needs, or plan your overwintering strategy now.

Propagation Tips

Taking cuttings is one of the easiest and most satisfying ways to preserve your favorite color combinations from year to year, especially if you live outside of Zones 10-11. In the late summer or early fall, snip non-flowering stem tips that are about 4 to 6 inches long. For best success with your Coleus cuttings, place the cuttings directly into clean, moist potting soil, or simply root them in a clear glass of water on a bright windowsill.

Once roots have established on the cuttings, they can be transplanted into small pots and brought indoors before the first risk of frost. By overwintering these plants, you ensure you have mature, established specimens ready to plant out early the following spring, bypassing the need to start Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME from seed.

Companion Planting

When designing beds with Plectranthus COLORBLAZE LIME TIME, consider companions that complement its bright chartreuse color while sharing similar cultural needs for medium water and part shade. Darker foliage plants offer excellent contrast; deep purple or near-black sweet potato vine (Ipomoea batatas) or dark-leafed Begonias work beautifully alongside this Coleus. For seasonal color pops, try pairing it with shade-tolerant flowering annuals like white Impatiens or deep blue Lobelia.

Since this plant is semi-succulent with moisture-retentive stems, avoid pairing it with drought-tolerant Mediterranean herbs that require sharp drainage. The goal when companion planting with this Coleus selection is to balance the bright lime green with contrasting dark tones or textures that thrive in similar well-drained yet consistently moist soils.