
This is the first year that I have seen floral spikes on my Coleus plants. When I researched this, some articles indicated that it was a precursor to the death of the plant. We often use them as annuals but they are perennials in their native countries of Thailand, Malaysia and surrounds. Since we are also subtropical, they should live past a year but only if we get no frost. Our Texas mega freeze this year both killed many trees and plants, yet magically revitalized others.
Then I read another article that suggested you should let them flower, as the hummingbirds, butterflies and bees feed off them. The freeze also killed many of Texas’ much needed bees – I have seen hardly any this year. The hummingbirds have started to arrive, however, and we have had a lovely variety of butterflies fluttering past the window. A little green pond hawk dragonfly follows me around when I water the garden every day. Coleus are part of the mint family and the roots are used medicinally in South East Asia.

Treesymbolism.com states:
The coleus plant can be considered as a sign that you need to take good care of yourself and you must do everything possible to stay healthy and live a long and fulfilled life. You must always put your health at the peak of everything because this is what will give you the courage to stay fulfilled.
I love coleus, and I let them flower with those stunning purple/blue flowers.
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They are beautiful – thank you.
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It’s a pretty plant! Haha, you are followed around by dragonflies and humming birds? I now imagine you in a Disney movie! 😉
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LOL! I love that idea – I wish my neighbors in Egypt had felt like that when I was surrounded by street animals…😉
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Haha but with bluebirds rather than saggy breasted dogs and feral cats 😉
Wasn’t pigeon one of the perennial house specials at the Mina House hotel back in the day?
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Bwa ha ha! My Poochy was not saggy breasted!!! I remember having pigeon in a lovely restaurant in Zamalek (and it was delicious if bony) but only remember the fabulous curries at Mena House. Yum.
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Haha a rare breed indeed 😉
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😁
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That’s what those floral spikes always meant to my plants. But when I saw this, I just clipped off the healthiest looking stems, stuck them in pots and kept them moist – Viola! New plants.
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That’s great advice, GP – thank you! We have a tropical storm heading towards us so we will have no problem keeping them moist…😉
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Take extra special care of yourself!!
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💗💗
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No word of a lie I grew a coleus at my mother’s house when I was taking care of her back east. It grew to 6 feet across and about 4 feet the other way. It was huge. I would have to search my files for a pic but they may have gone wayside when I reset my phone and didn’t save anything. I will look anyway.
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That wasn’t a coleus – that was a Triffid!!! Would love to see a pic of that beauty. K x
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It was two coleus in an old galvanized wash tub. I looked in my pic in my forlders where they could be but did not find them. I may have lost them when my phone crashed. I’ll keep looking.
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I love the idea of a galvanized wash tub as a planter. K x
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Dear Kerry and thespiritkeeper,
I used to grow a lot of coleuses with fanciful leaves, and I preferred not to let them flowers to conserve their energy for leafy growth.
Considering that you have such a green thumb, I would like to confess that I am also interested in botany and gardening, for I have been a keen gardener. You are very welcome to take a good look at my four horticulture websites containing a great deal of information available to you as follows. Simply append the usual dot wordpress dot com to the end of the following words to visit the corresponding websites:
queenslandorchid
queenslandbegonia
pottedplantsociety
rhsq
Please enjoy the websites to your heart’s content.
Wishing you a productive weekend doing or enjoying whatever that satisfies you the most!
Yours sincerely,
SoundEagle
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How lovely to hear from you Sound Eagle and thank you for your comment! I look forward to perusing your websites – I love orchids.
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Dear Kerry,
I look forward to receiving some likes and/or comments from you as tokens of your visits to those websites so that I know what you have been reading or viewing there.
Yours sincerely,
SoundEagle
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I will do that!
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Wonderful pictures! 🙂
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Thank you so much!
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You’re welcome!
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Beautifully striking. 🍃🌸
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Thank you so much, Gail. 😍
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They are gorgeous Kerry!
Wishing you a blessed weekend! ♥♥
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Thank you so much – hope your weekend is fun!
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I actually know them by a totally different name – painted nettle. My mom had plenty of them growing wild and free and I have to say they have some of the most stunningly coloured foliage. Thanks for sharing and have a nice day. Ericeira is just back from her first day of school, it was so amazing to see the little Junior Infants all excited about learning and being back in school 🙂 Aiva xx
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I think I like the name Painted Nettle better! You have had a very exciting day. I still remember the smell of my leather satchel from the first day at school. Love to you all. K x
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I had almost forgotten your dreadful freeze and imagine Texas will continue to find consequence.
Great post, though
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Thank you, Marilee. Our largest consequence is, after years of neglect, we have to substantially repair our grid system.
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That may be a blessing in disguise – if they actually get on the job.
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Indeed…
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If I were a butterfly or hummingbird, I would feel drawn to this lovely spike. It definitely does not seem a sign of decay or death.
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Thank you, Tanja. I had decided to let them spike whatever the consequence. Methinks we will get another freeze this winter, although hopefully shorter.
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It will be interesting for you to observe what will happen to the plant.
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I will let you know!
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Thank you! 🙂
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Coleus are definitely annuals up here! 😁 It’s an easy thing to start cuttings though, I remember an acquaintance with a house full of pots with coleus…I clip off the flowers so that leaves grow larger and the plant itself gets fuller. Hope you didn’t get too much rain!
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Thank you for your comment, Chris! We did get lots of rain but the plants are quite bushy already. The Farmer’s Almanac says we are in for a cold winter down here so I will let nature decide what happens next. 😀
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oh wow pretty one. I have never seen this ! Thanks for sharing.
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You are most welcome!
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Thanks for the great advice.
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You are most welcome!
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