Coleus scutellarioides ‘Main Street Franklin Street’

Main Street cultivar background

Main Street Franklin Street is a Dümmen Orange cultivar from the Main Street coleus series. Its rose-pink centre, dark outer field and bright green edge distinguish this named selection from other members of the collection.

Coleus scutellarioides is native across warm parts of Asia and northern Australia. It grows as a tender, branching perennial with opposite leaves and the square stems associated with the mint family. Franklin Street grows actively in warmth and is used outdoors in Europe during the warm season.

Franklin Street care

• Light: Provide 20,000–40,000 lux or another very bright position. Franklin Street can take sun after slow acclimatisation, while a dim room encourages wider gaps between leaves.
• Water: Rewater once roughly 25–40% of the medium is dry. Soak the root zone and let it drain; warm outdoor weather may require much more frequent checks than an indoor position.
• Temperature: Aim for 18–25 °C and protect soft growth from anything below 10 °C. Move the plant outside only after nights stay at or above about 15 °C.
• Potting mix: Use an airy, fertile blend with both moisture retention and reliable drainage. Increase the pot size when roots are crowded or rapid drying becomes difficult to manage.
• Fertiliser: Feed moderately while stems and leaves are growing strongly. Apply nutrients to already moist soil and reduce the rate during cool, low-light periods.
• Shape: Pinch a stem immediately above a leaf node when more branching is wanted. The cultivar is naturally upright, so remove only the growth needed to keep the chosen outline.
• Leaves and transitions: Clean the soft foliage without polish and inspect the undersides as you work. Introduce sun and outdoor wind in stages over several days.

Issues and solutions

• Stems become long and sparse: Insufficient light or overdue pinching can open the canopy. Increase brightness gradually and cut just above nodes where new branches are wanted.
• Pink centre looks less distinct: Colour shifts with light, temperature and leaf age. Check that new growth is firm and well lit before assuming that a healthy change in tone is a problem.
• Sudden wilt: Test the mix first. Water promptly when it is dry; when it is already wet, inspect drainage and roots before any further watering.
• Dry bleached patches: Leaves moved into direct sun too quickly can scorch. Give temporary filtered light, then extend sun exposure over several days.
• Cold-blackened growth: Move the plant indoors, keep it warm and trim back only after the damaged tissue is clearly separated from firm stem.
• Distorted or spotted new leaves: Check for aphids, whiteflies, mites and downy mildew, including grey-purple growth underneath. Isolate first and prevent water or tools from carrying the problem to other coleus.

Franklin Street safety information

Coleus scutellarioides can cause mild irritation. Contact with the leaves may irritate the skin, and repeated exposure can trigger an allergic red rash in sensitive people. Ingestion may cause gastrointestinal discomfort.

Keep the plant and discarded cuttings away from children and pets. Wear gloves if your skin reacts during pruning, then wash hands and tools. After human ingestion, contact a local poison centre for advice; after pet chewing, contact a veterinarian or animal poison service. Seek urgent help for severe or rapidly worsening symptoms, breathing problems or collapse.

How the botanical name is formed

Coleus is linked to a Greek word for “sheath”, referring to the joined staminal filaments. Its species name says that the plant resembles Scutellaria.