Coleus scutellarioides ‘Main Street Franklin Street’

A newer cultivar in the Main Street series

‘Main Street Franklin Street’ belongs to Dümmen Orange’s Main Street series. In the 2025 North American summer trials, it formed large, full plants with bright rose-and-orange foliage edged in chartreuse and performed well in both sunny and shaded landscape conditions.

Its species, Coleus scutellarioides, is native to wet tropical regions from Indo-China through parts of tropical Asia and the western Pacific to northern Australia. Modern Main Street cultivars build on that natural variation with colourful foliage and strong branching rather than being grown for their flowers.

Keeping ‘Main Street Franklin Street’ healthy

• Light: Keep it in bright filtered light indoors. Franklin Street has performed across a very broad outdoor light range, but a dim room is different from outdoor shade; acclimatise any direct window sun gradually.
• Water: Check the root zone before the leaves collapse. Rewater once the upper portion has begun to dry and the container feels lighter, then drain away excess water.
• Substrate: A loose houseplant mix that holds some moisture while draining freely suits its fast, soft growth. Always use a container with drainage rather than letting the root ball stand in water.
• Temperature and humidity: Warm conditions above roughly 15 °C support steady growth. Average indoor humidity is normally sufficient, but keep the plant away from cold draughts and very dry heat sources.
• Feeding: Use a complete fertiliser at a moderate rate during active growth. Pause or reduce feeding when shorter days slow leaf production.
• Shape: The cultivar naturally makes a full upright plant. Pinch only the shoots that run ahead of the canopy, cutting just above a node so side branches can fill the space.
• Repotting and season: Move up one container size when roots are crowded or watering frequency suddenly increases. In winter, slower growth means the mix should be allowed to dry a little further between waterings.

Problems to watch for on ‘Franklin Street’

• Stems lengthen and gaps open through the crown: Low indoor light is the most likely cause. Increase brightness first; once the next growth is shorter and firmer, trim only the stretched shoots back to a node.
• Rose or orange tissue develops pale, dry patches: Damage concentrated on the side facing the window usually follows a sudden jump in direct sun. Move the plant out of the harshest rays and reintroduce stronger exposure in stages.
• The whole plant wilts despite damp compost: The roots may be staying too wet or may already be damaged, rather than simply needing more water. Check drainage and root condition; if tissue is soft or rotten, cut back to firm healthy tissue with a disinfected blade, discard the removed material and repot or restart healthy growth in fresh, airy substrate.
• New leaves twist around sticky shoots: Look closely for aphids on the tips and leaf undersides. Isolate the plant, rinse away small colonies and use an appropriately labelled indoor treatment if they persist, repeating only as the label directs.
• Brown angular patches appear and spread quickly: Inspect beneath affected leaves for grey-purple downy mildew growth. Separate the plant, remove heavily marked leaves and improve airflow; do not keep a badly affected coleus among healthy plants.

Coleus scutellarioides ‘Main Street Franklin Street’ is non-toxic to cats and dogs

• This plant is non-toxic to cats and dogs.
• Its effects on people are unclear, so keep it away from young children who may chew it.
• Eating a large amount can still cause an upset stomach. Seek medical or veterinary advice if symptoms continue.

When was Coleus scutellarioides first published, and what does it mean?

The name Coleus comes from the Greek word koleos, meaning “sheath”, and refers to the stamens joined at their base. The species name scutellarioides means “resembling Scutellaria”, another genus in the mint family.

João de Loureiro established the genus Coleus in 1790 in Flora Cochinchinensis, page 372.

Carl Linnaeus first described it as Ocimum scutellarioides in 1763 in Species Plantarum, second edition, page 834. George Bentham later placed it in Coleus as Coleus scutellarioides in 1830 in Plantae Asiaticae Rariores, volume 2, page 16.