Coleus (Solenostemon) is a genus of perennial plants, native to tropical Africa and Asia. The name Coleus derives from an earlier classification under the scientific name Coleus, though the currently accepted classification is in the genus Solenostemon.

Many cultivars of the southeast Asian species Solenostemon scutellarioides have been selected for their colorful variegated leaves, typically with sharp contrast between the colors; the leaves may be green, pink, yellow, maroon, and red (somewhat resembling the unrelated caladium). The plants grow well in moist well-drained soil, and typically grow 0.5-1 m tall, though some may grow as tall as 2 m.

They are heat-tolerant, though they do less well in full sun in subtropical areas than in the shade. In cultivation in temperate areas, they are often grown as annuals as they are not hardy and become leggy and unattractive with age. In bright hot areas, the colors of the plant will typically be more intense in shaded areas than in full sun, and the plants will require less water there.

The Kong Coleus is a shade coleus, propagated by seed, that looks like it is a sun coleus. Most shade-loving coleus are smaller and less vigorous that sun coleus. The Kongs are exceptions – big leaves on vibrantly colored big plants.

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