MIHT FAMILY 



GARDEN COLEUS 



Cbleus hybrida. 



Coleus, Greek, sheath; referring to the monadelphous stamens. 



A group of bedding plants with brilliantly colored leaves, tender to 

 frost. 



Stems. — Square, erect, more or less branching. 

 Leaves.— O-pposite, ovate, sharply and regularly toothed, variously 

 colored with red, yellow, and purple, 

 i^/owew.— Two-lipped, small, borne in a terminal spike-like raceme. 



The original of the garden race of Coleus was a plant introduced 

 from Java, called Coleus Bliimei, and from this species, more or 

 less hybridized with two others, all our gar- 

 den forms are derived. The variety and 

 brilliancy of the color variations of the leaves 

 are wonderful, and the plants have enjoyed 

 great vogue for beds and borders. 



The objections to them lie in the fact that 

 they require a long season, sometimes bum 

 in hot summers, have a weedy habit, and the 

 leaves fall with the first frost; so that they 

 often stand a row of leafless stalks aroimd 

 a flower-bed in which such plants as ge- 

 ranium and vinca are still strong and vigorous. 

 They are tolerant of the shears, which is 



Coleus. aims hybrida . .1,11 , , , . , 



one virtue that helps to keep them m place. 

 Perilla nankinSnsis is an ornamental foliage plant very similar 

 to Coleus in habit and general appearance. The foliage is dark 

 metallic-bronze, almost black, and is now used considerably for 

 ribbon effects. 



Other LahiatcB in cultivation are: 



Rosemary, Rosmarinus, Sea-dew, a half-hardy little shrub, 

 native to the Mediterranean region, which has been prized for 

 ages because of the aromatic fragrance of its leaves. These are 



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