A coleus is a colorful plant grown mainly for its beautiful leaves rather than its flowers. While most garden plants catch your eye with bright blooms, coleus leaves steal the show with bold patterns in burgundy, pink, lime green, orange, and deep purple, often with multiple colors swirling together on a single leaf like an artist's palette.

Gardeners love coleus because it thrives in shade, where many flowering plants struggle. You might see coleus brightening up the shady spots under trees in parks or adding color to a dim corner of someone's porch. The plants are easy to grow and forgiving of mistakes, making them popular with beginning gardeners.

Originally from Southeast Asia, coleus has been cultivated for centuries. Modern plant breeders have created hundreds of varieties with different leaf shapes, sizes, and color combinations. Some coleus leaves look ruffled like fancy curtains, while others are smooth and pointed.

Most people never even notice the small, unremarkable flowers because the leaves are so much more spectacular.