Coleus ‘Defiance’

Coleus scutellarioides

KO-lee-us  skew-tell-ar-ee-OH-ih-deez

SYN.

Plectranthus scutellarioides

SYN.

Solenostemon scutellarioides 

Coleus scutellarioides (L.) Benth. is the accepted scientific name for this species of Coleus. It was named and described as such by George Bentham in Plantae Asiaticae Rariores in 1830. It was first named and described as Ocimum scutellarioides by Carl von Linnaeus in the second volume of the first edition of Species Plantarum in 1753.

To read the research document published on Phytokeys, “Nomenclatural changes in Coleus and Plectranthus (Lamiaceae): a tale of more than two genera” by Alan J. Patton and others”, click HERE. I think this is the document presented to make the name changes. 

The two most common synonyms that plants are still sold under are Plectranthus scutellarioides and Solenostemon scutellarioides. 

Now a synonym, Plectranthus scutellarioides (L.) R.Br. was described as such by Robert Brown in Prodromus Florae Novae Hollandiae in 1810.

Now a synonym, Solenostemon scutellarioides (L.) Codd was described by Leslie Edward Wastell Codd in Bothalia in 1975.

The genus, Coleus Lour., was named and described as such by João de Loureiro in Flora Cochinchinensis in 1790.

As of 12-19-23 when this page was last updated, Plants of the World Online lists 301 species in the Coleus genus. It is a member of the plant family Lamiaceae with 232 genera. Those numbers could change as updates are made on POWO.

THERE ARE A FEW LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE FOR FURTHER READING.

I brought this Coleus home in the spring of 2015 and it was similar to one I grew when I lived in Mississippi. This color combination is very bright and this one is TOPS in that category, too. The contrasting red and yellow just makes the color POP out at you!

I transplanted the Coleus ‘Defiance’ in a larger pot and put it on a plant table next to the shed with the other Coleus I bought in 2015. It received light shade in the moving and LOTS of afternoon sun and did very well.

Coleus ‘Defiance’ grows to a height of 16-14” tall. It has a dense, upright, mounding growth habit. It is sun tolerant and makes a great specimen plant in pots or baskets. Great in mass plantings with other Coleus.

Still AWESOME in the heat of July.

After five months it is beginning to show signs of wear. As the day length decreases and the temps get cooler, it is normal for Coleus to start going downhill. This would be the right time to take cuttings to overwinter. I have brought in whole plants many times, but they can have other issues. They can develop blackleg which eventually will kill the plant. It is best to take cuttings and put them in potting soil to root or place them in water. If you place them in water, they will root. Then in the spring, take another cutting and re-root in soil.

You can read my Coleus scutellarioides page by clicking HERE for more information and a list of all the Coleus I have grown.

I hope you enjoyed this page and maybe found it useful. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, I would like to hear from you. Please click on “like” if you visited this page. It helps us bloggers stay motivated. 🙂 You can check out the links below for further reading. The links take you directly to the genus and species of this plant. If you notice I made an error, please let me know. Of course, you can always send me an email at thebelmontrooster@yahoo.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
PLANTS OF THE WORLD ONLINE (GENUS/SPECIES)
WIKIPEDIA (GENUS/SPECIES)
PHYTOKEYS
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
MISSOURI BOTANICAL GARDEN
GARDENING KNOW HOW