Coleus is Coleus scutellarioides. Nursery tags and older sheets may still say Plectranthus scutellarioides, Solenostemon scutellarioides, or Coleus × hybridus. UF Gardening Solutions treats those as the same plant under the current accepted name. UVM and UMD still print the Plectranthus label on coleus cuttings pages. Those labels belong here.
Swedish ivy is Plectranthus verticillatus. It is a different plant with a different habit. This guide stays on foliage coleus, not Swedish ivy.
Can you propagate coleus? Yes. Stem cuttings in water are supported by Missouri, UMN, UF FPS136, UVM, and UMD. Stem cuttings in mix are supported by UF Gardening Solutions, Iowa Haynes (reviewed 2022), Iowa’s 2009 annuals note, UNL Lancaster, and Clemson. Seed is named where UF FPS136, UMN, and Clemson describe germination. Iowa names coleus among annuals you cut in fall and root indoors. Tender stock: cuttings are how Iowa, UVM, UF, and Clemson keep a favorite through winter. You do not need hormone for easy water starts (Missouri skips it on coleus; Iowa Haynes calls hormone optional in mix).
For drained mix after roots form, see soil propagation. Jar technique shared across easy water plants lives on water propagation. Overview of cuttings vs seed: plant propagation.
Best way indoors
| Situation | Method the sources support | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Healthy tip, clear jar, watch roots form | Stem cutting in water (Missouri, UMN, UF FPS136, UVM, UMD) | Missouri: easiest of all. Lengths and weeks differ by source. For jar care, see the propagation water change calculator and water propagation. |
| Fall tips for winter indoors, bag or tent | Stem cutting in mix (UF Gardening Solutions, Iowa Haynes, Iowa 2009, UNL, Clemson) | Iowa and UNL lean on perlite, vermiculite, or sand under a cover. Weeks and tip lengths stay source-labeled. |
| Named seed types / many plants next season | Seed (UF FPS136, UMN, Clemson) | Clemson: seed-grown types exist; vegetative cultivars stay on cuttings. Germination times differ by source. |
| Tag marked PP or PPAF | Do not cut for new plants (Clemson) | Patented cultivars should not be propagated by cuttings. |
UMN gives 2 to 3 weeks in water. For cuttings in a rooting medium, Iowa Haynes gives 4 to 6 weeks, Iowa’s 2009 note 6 to 8 weeks, and UNL 3 to 4 weeks.
Stem cuttings in water
Water is a supported path for coleus, not a folk shortcut. Missouri names coleus for a herbaceous cutting rooted in water and calls it easiest of all. UMN, UF FPS136, UVM, and UMD give concrete tip lengths, node rules, and water-change habits. Read each line as its own recipe. Where the node sits on a stem, with a diagram: what is a node on a plant.
Missouri Extension (G6560). Coleus: herbaceous cutting, root in water, easiest of all. Use rooting hormone on all except easy-to-root plants such as coleus. Skip hormone on this plant when you follow Missouri’s water path.
UMN Extension. Cut 4 to 6 inches off the top. Remove leaves from the bottom half. Water covering where the leaves were removed. Roots in 2 to 3 weeks, then transplant to soil once roots begin.
UF/IFAS FPS136. Cuttings as short as 2 inches from newly grown shoots, rooted in plain water. That is the shortest water tip on this page. Do not stretch UF’s 2 inches into UMN’s 4 to 6 inch band.
UVM Extension. About 5 inches long with several leaf nodes. Root in water or directly in soil. No leaves in the water. Indirect light. Change water weekly. Roots in a few weeks, then pot.
UMD Extension (Maryland Grows). 3- to 5-inch stem, at least one node. No leaves submerged. About 70 °F. Change water at least twice a week. Several weeks to roots, then another week or two in water before potting. UMD lists Swedish ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus) on the same article as a separate plant. Keep that ID split.
Lengths are not one number. UF FPS136: as short as 2 inches. UMD: 3 to 5 inches. UVM: about 5 inches. UMN: 4 to 6 inches. Follow the source you are using.
Weeks are not one number. UMN: 2 to 3 weeks in water, then soil. UVM: a few weeks, then pot. UMD: several weeks to roots, plus another week or two in water before potting. Those are not one clock.
Water hygiene. UVM changes water weekly. UMD changes at least twice a week. Cloudy jars stall roots and invite soft stems. Keep nodes under water and leaves out of it (UMN, UVM, UMD). For change timing and jar habits shared across easy water plants, use the propagation water change calculator and water propagation.
Light while rooting in water. UVM wants indirect light. UMD sits near about 70 °F. A dim interior shelf stalls starts and softens tissue. If the jar sits in a dark corner, raise light before you blame the cultivar. Check the propagation light DLI calculator and, when windows cannot deliver, best grow lights for indoor propagation.
After roots form, pot into drained mix and grow on. Shared potting habits live on soil propagation.
Stem cuttings in mix
Mix is the other supported stem path. UF Gardening Solutions, Iowa Haynes, Iowa’s 2009 annuals note, UNL Lancaster, and Clemson describe tip cuttings in moist media, often under a bag or tent. Lengths, media, hormone, and weeks differ.
UF Gardening Solutions. Stem cuttings 2 to 6 inches. Trim a half-inch below the bottom-most leaves and remove those leaves. Moist potting soil or sterile media such as vermiculite. Shady spot for a couple of weeks until roots form. Current accepted name Coleus scutellarioides; legacy Plectranthus, Solenostemon, and Coleus x hybridus labels still point here.
Iowa State (Haynes, reviewed October 2022). Coleus (Coleus scutellarioides) named among annuals rooted from fall cuttings. 2 to 4-inch stem tip. Lower leaves off. Rooting hormone optional. Moist perlite. Clear plastic tent. Indirect light. Most cuttings form roots in 4 to 6 weeks. Pot when roots are at least 1 inch.
Iowa State (August 2009 annuals note). Coleus among annuals rooted for indoor winter. 3- to 5-inch stem cuttings from terminal ends. Lower leaves pinched off. Dip in rooting hormone. Vermiculite, perlite, or coarse sand. Insert about 1 inch deep. Clear plastic bag. Bright light, not direct sun. Roots in 6 to 8 weeks. Iowa’s Haynes page gives 2 to 4 inches and 4 to 6 weeks. They are separate Iowa pages with separate recipes.
UNL Lancaster. Coleus named as easy for beginning propagators. About 6 inches from healthy tips in September. Bag over mix. New roots 1/2 to 1 inch long in 3 to 4 weeks, then pot.
Clemson HGIC. Stem cuttings any season. Vegetative coleus are sterile cultivars that must be grown from cuttings. Some cultivars come from seed. Tags marked PP or PPAF should not be cut for new plants. Patent respect is part of the mix path, not an afterthought.
Lengths are not one number. Iowa Haynes: 2 to 4 inches. Iowa 2009: 3 to 5 inches. UF Gardening Solutions: 2 to 6 inches. UNL: about 6 inches.
Weeks are not one number. UF Gardening Solutions: a couple of weeks. UNL: 3 to 4 weeks to 1/2 to 1 inch roots. Iowa Haynes: 4 to 6 weeks. Iowa 2009: 6 to 8 weeks.
Media, hormone, and cover. Moist potting soil or vermiculite (UF). Moist perlite under a tent, hormone optional (Haynes). Vermiculite, perlite, or coarse sand about 1 inch deep, hormone used, bag (Iowa 2009). Bag over mix (UNL). Bags and tents raise humidity and raise mold risk if light is low and air is still. Keep leaves off wet media. Clemson’s PP / PPAF rule still applies before you stick a tip.
Light while rooting in mix. UF wants shade for a couple of weeks. Haynes: indirect light. Iowa 2009: bright light, not direct sun. UNL roots under a bag in that September window. Dim rooms stall rooting and invite stretch and mold under plastic. If the tray sits dark, raise light with the propagation light DLI calculator or best grow lights for indoor propagation rather than sealing the bag tighter.
After roots reach potting size on your source’s page, move into drained mix. Shared habits: soil propagation.
Seed
UF FPS136, UMN, and Clemson name seed. Seed is how some bedding and unnamed types start. Vegetative (sterile) cultivars stay on cuttings (Clemson). Do not treat every patterned coleus as a seed type.
UF/IFAS FPS136. Seed germinates in 10 to 14 days at 70 to 75 °F. Light stimulates germination, so seed should not be covered. May be used as a potted plant indoors in a sunny window.
UMN Extension. Start about 8 weeks before outdoor planting. On the surface, cover with vermiculite. Plastic over the tray. Light required. 10 to 20 days at 70 to 75 °F. Then grow at 65 to 70 °F.
Clemson HGIC. Sow uncovered on sterile medium at 70 to 75 °F. 10 to 15 days to germinate. 6 to 8 weeks to transplant size. Seed-grown types exist. Vegetative types stay on cuttings. Patented tags (PP or PPAF) still should not be cut for new plants even when you also grow seed types from packets.
Germination times differ. UF: 10 to 14 days. Clemson: 10 to 15 days. UMN: 10 to 20 days.
Cover rules differ. UF and Clemson leave seed uncovered because light stimulates germination. UMN: surface sow, then cover with vermiculite, still with light required. Both still want light.
If winter light is weak for trays that need light to germinate, use the propagation light DLI calculator and best grow lights for indoor propagation rather than burying seed deeper for “darkness.”
Light while propagating
A coleus cutting in water wants indirect light. That is the UVM line for a stem standing in a jar. UMD’s about 70 °F is the air around that jar. It is a temperature, not a light setting.
A cutting in mix follows three separate light lines. UF Gardening Solutions keeps the pot in shade for a couple of weeks until roots form. That shade is not a dark closet. Iowa Haynes wants indirect light on a tip under a clear plastic tent. Iowa’s August 2009 note wants bright light, not direct sun, on a bagged cutting. Shade, indirect light, and bright light that is not direct sun stay three different settings.
UNL bags the mix in a September window. UNL does not name how bright that bag should be. Leave brightness unnamed. Do not borrow it from UF or Iowa.
A dim interior shelf stalls the start and softens tissue. Closed plastic in low light is a mold chamber, whether the cover is a Haynes tent, an Iowa 2009 bag, or an UNL bag. Crack the cover and raise the light instead of sealing tighter.
Seed is a different job. UF, Clemson, and UMN want light so seed germinates. That cue is not the cutting rule.
When the window is too weak for the light that source named, meter the spot with the propagation light DLI calculator. Fixture distance for a lamp that fills a weak window is on best grow lights for indoor propagation. Cuttings root in the light their source named. A dim shelf stalls them.
Troubleshooting
No roots yet. Check which clock you are on. UMN water: 2 to 3 weeks. UVM: a few weeks. UMD: several weeks to roots, then another week or two before potting. UF mix: a couple of weeks. UNL mix: 3 to 4 weeks. Iowa Haynes: 4 to 6 weeks. Iowa 2009: 6 to 8 weeks. Pulling a jar at day five or a bag at day ten because “nothing happened” is too early for most of those pages. Confirm tip length matches the source (UF water as short as 2 inches; UMD 3 to 5; UVM about 5; UMN 4 to 6; Haynes 2 to 4; Iowa 2009 3 to 5; UNL about 6), nodes in water or mix as required, and leaves out of the water or off wet media. Soft, brown tissue will not recover; take a fresh tip.
Rotting stem / leaves in the water. UMN, UVM, and UMD all keep leaves out of the jar. Submerged leaves foul the water and softens the stem. Strip the submerged section, refresh the water, and restart from firm green tissue if the base has collapsed. Missouri’s easy water path still wants clean herbaceous cuttings, not a rotting salad in the glass.
Cloudy jar. UVM changes weekly. UMD changes at least twice a week. Cloudiness is a hygiene flag, not a rooting signal. Dump, rinse, refill, and keep only stem and nodes under water. Shared jar timing: propagation water change calculator and water propagation.
Mold under a bag or tent. Iowa Haynes and Iowa 2009 use clear plastic. UNL bags the mix. Closed plastic in low light is a mold chamber. Crack or remove the cover, improve air flow, and keep leaves off wet media. Raise light with the propagation light DLI calculator or grow lights for indoor propagation rather than sealing tighter.
Low light / pale, stalled starts. UVM wants indirect light on water cuttings. Iowa 2009 wants bright light, not direct sun, on bagged mix. UF mix sits in shade while roots form, which is not the same as a dark closet. Dim interior shelves stall roots and stretch soft tissue. Measure or estimate light with the propagation light DLI calculator. When windows cannot deliver, use best grow lights for indoor propagation.
Patent tags (PP or PPAF). Clemson: patented cultivars should not be propagated by cuttings. If the tag shows PP or PPAF, skip the stick. Grow seed-named types from packets when Clemson’s seed path applies, or buy another plant. Patent respect is troubleshooting too: the “failure” is legal, not horticultural.
Wrong plant. Swedish ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus) is not Coleus scutellarioides. UMD lists them separately. Trailing Swedish ivy habits and this foliage coleus playbook are not interchangeable. Confirm the label before you apply UMN’s 4 to 6 inch water tip.
Common mistakes
- Expecting one rooting time. UMN gives 2 to 3 weeks in water, Iowa Haynes 4 to 6 weeks in mix, Iowa 2009 6 to 8 weeks, and UNL 3 to 4 weeks.
- Expecting one cutting length. Iowa Haynes gives 2 to 4 inches, UNL about 6 inches, and UMN 4 to 6 inches in water.
- Expecting one seed method. UF leaves seed uncovered and UMN covers it with vermiculite. UF gives 10 to 14 days to germinate and UMN 10 to 20 days.
- Confusing this plant with Swedish ivy (Plectranthus verticillatus).
- Treating hormone as required. Missouri skips it for coleus in water. Iowa Haynes says optional in mix. Iowa 2009 uses hormone on that page; follow that page if you use that recipe, without making hormone mandatory for every method.
- Leaving leaves in the water jar (UMN, UVM, UMD all strip submerged foliage).
- Sealing a bag tight in low light until mold forms (Haynes tent; Iowa 2009 bag; UNL bag).
- Cutting cultivars tagged PP or PPAF (Clemson).
- Expecting one rooting time across water and mix. Sources give different weeks.
People also ask
Can you propagate coleus?
Yes. Stem cuttings in water (Missouri, UMN, UF FPS136, UVM, UMD) and stem cuttings in mix (UF Gardening Solutions, Iowa Haynes, Iowa 2009, UNL, Clemson) are both supported. Seed is named on UF FPS136, UMN, and Clemson for types that start that way. Vegetative sterile cultivars stay on cuttings (Clemson).
Coleus or Plectranthus?
Coleus belongs here as Coleus scutellarioides. Labels may still say Plectranthus scutellarioides, Solenostemon scutellarioides, or Coleus × hybridus (UF Gardening Solutions). Swedish ivy is a different Plectranthus (P. verticillatus). UMD lists Swedish ivy separately.
Water or mix?
Missouri and UMN start in water. UF FPS136 roots short tips in plain water. UF Gardening Solutions and Iowa Haynes start in mix. UVM names both water and soil. UNL and Iowa 2009 are mix-under-bag paths. Pick one source’s recipe and keep its clock. For jar care, see the propagation water change calculator and water propagation.
How long until roots?
UMN water: 2 to 3 weeks. UF mix: a couple of weeks. UNL: 3 to 4 weeks. Iowa Haynes: 4 to 6 weeks. Iowa 2009: 6 to 8 weeks. UVM: a few weeks. UMD: several weeks, then another week or two in water before potting. Those are not one number. Match your expectation to the page you followed.
Do I need rooting hormone?
Missouri: skip hormone on easy-to-root plants such as coleus for the water path. Iowa Haynes: hormone optional for fall tips in perlite. Iowa 2009: dip in hormone on that annuals recipe. Hormone is not a universal requirement across these pages.
Can I propagate patented coleus?
Clemson: tags marked PP or PPAF should not be propagated by cuttings. Vegetative sterile cultivars that are not under patent still need cuttings rather than seed. When in doubt, read the tag before you stick a tip.