Coleus spp.



The Coleus genus is native to the Old World tropics and subtropics and have been spread to other parts of the world through cultivation. Previously thought to be Plectranthus and Solenostemon, Coleus belongs in a problematic group where the name changes reflect the shifts in botanist’s knowledge and understanding of the group, Coleus is now re-instated and Plectranthus redefined. Many species of Coleus are used as medicines to treat a range of ailments, particularly chest, stomach and skin complaints, and some are used as food, or to flavour food, or as feed for stock animals.