Solenostemon - Coleus - Painted Nettle
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Solenostemon is a genus including about 150 species of tropical African and Asian dicotyledenous flowering herbs previously classified as Coleus. They grow in moist soil so in cultivation require warmth and frequent watering, but are happy in a shady position where leaf colours are often enhanced. Flower spikes are greenish-purple, small and insignificant.
Solenostemon scutellarioides (Coleus blumei) and its hybrids are popular as undemanding houseplants, grown for their large brightly coloured variegated ovate leaves in brilliant green, red, purple and yellow. Numerous named cultivars are available, but must be propagated from cuttings as they will not come true from seeds.
Most Solenostemon are slightly succulent, especially their stems. The plant with thickened aromatic (mentholated) leaves commonly referred to as a succulent Coleus is actually a Plectranthus (P. tomentosa).
Some species (Solenostemon scutellarioides and Solenostemon pumilus) supposedly contain psychoactive substances.
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Plant Families with Succulent Species