Coleus scutellarioides ‘Pink Diamond’

Cultivar and species background

Pink Diamond is a cultivated selection of Coleus scutellarioides grown for its burgundy, pink and green foliage. Soft, square stems carry opposite leaf pairs and branch readily, building the cultivar’s full upright shape.

Coleus scutellarioides belongs to the mint family, Lamiaceae, and is native from Indochina through parts of eastern Asia to northern Australia. In the wild it grows as a warm-climate subshrub in wet tropical habitats.

Care for compact, colourful coleus growth

• Light: Keep Pink Diamond close to a bright window with filtered light. Introduce direct sun gradually, as abrupt hot midday exposure can scorch the foliage.
• Water: Water after the surface and upper layer of the mix have dried, then let the excess drain completely. Check the substrate beneath the dense canopy rather than judging by wilt alone.
• Warmth: Stable indoor warmth supports active growth, while cold can damage the soft leaves and stems. Acclimatise the plant gradually before moving it outdoors in mild weather.
• Substrate and repotting: Use a fertile, moisture-buffered but aerated mix in a freely draining pot. Repot when roots fill the container or the current volume dries unusually quickly.
• Feeding: Apply a balanced feed at moderate strength while stems and leaves are actively growing. Reduce feeding when cooler conditions or lower light slow the plant.
• Shaping and propagation: Pinch immediately above a node to encourage side shoots. Flower spikes may be retained or removed, and healthy stem tips can be rooted as cuttings.
• Grooming: Rinse or brush the textured leaves gently, avoid leaf-polish products and remove damaged foliage with clean tools. Structural support is not normally needed.

Problems to watch for

• The whole crown wilts above dry soil: Soak the root ball evenly and allow it to drain. Repeated severe drying weakens the soft leaves, so shorten the interval between checks.
• Wilting continues above wet soil: Do not add more water. Check drainage and root firmness because saturated, damaged roots cannot supply the foliage.
• Stems lengthen and the crown opens: Increase usable light gradually and pinch selected shoots above a node to restore closer branching.
• Pale tan patches appear after a move: Sudden direct sun can scorch acclimated indoor leaves. Return the plant to filtered light and rebuild exposure in short stages.
• Shoots turn soft, dark or glassy: Cold injury is likely. Move the plant into warmth and trim only after the boundary between firm and damaged tissue becomes clear.
• Fine speckling, sticky residue or distorted tips develop: Inspect both leaf surfaces for spider mites, whiteflies, aphids or mealybugs. Isolate the plant and repeat a treatment suited to the pest found.

Safe handling

Coleus scutellarioides is not edible and should be treated as unsafe for pets to chew. Repeated contact with the leaves can cause an allergic red rash in sensitive skin.

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

The botanical name explained

Coleus comes from the Greek koleos, meaning sheath, and refers to staminal filaments joined around the style inside the flower.

The species epithet scutellarioides means resembling Scutellaria, the skullcap genus.