| The Florida City™ series of heat-tolerant Coleus never fails to amaze, and Chuluota is one of its most remarkable members. This compact Coleus actually changes color and size depending on the amount of light it receives! Grown in full sun, Chuluota is a compact, very dense and nicely branched plant 12 to 14 inches high and wide. Its leaves are pure red, bright and rich, with a pink scalloped edge. Grown in at least a half day of shade, however, it becomes a predominantly green-leaved plant with red markings, and reaches a few inches taller, with less dense layering. For those of us with annual beds that span sunny and shady parts of the garden, a large planting of Chuluota is as fascinating as it is beautiful! Supremely heat-tolerant, this is a Coleus that earns its keep in the rough garden spots from which other Coleus shy away. You can fearlessly plant it beside the blacktop driveway or in front of a brick wall that reflects the heat; Chuluota won't mind! And of course it's wonderful in containers, combining with both sun and shade Coleus effortlessly. Like all Coleus, Chuluota needs good soil drainage to thrive. Pinch it back several times during the growth process, and when the unexciting flowers appear on long wands in summer, snip them off. You don't want to detract from the fabulous foliage! Actually a tender perennial, Chuluota is reliably hardy in zones 9-11, but is grown as an annual everywhere else. |
