Coleus Cultivars Developed by UF’s Penny Nguyen

Coleus Cultivars

Developed by UF’s Penny Nguyen

In 2007, University of Florida graduate student Penny Nguyen developed 13 new varieties of coleus, marketed nationally by Proven Winners and BallFloraPlant. An environmental horticulture doctorate student, Nguyen worked with Dr. Dave Clark, an environmental horticulture associate professor. You can read more about Nguyen’s work here.

These are just a few of the coleus developed at the University of Florida. Coleus varieties developed at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), are licensed by Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc. See the full list on their website.

Foliage plant with brilliant orange-red leaves

Big Red Judy™

Big Red Judy™ is a large, bold plant with rich red leaves and an upright habit. With a height and width of three to four feet and a preference for either sun or shade, it’s an excellent choice for just about anywhere.

Foliage plant with bright green leaves variegated with yellow veining

Electric Lime™

Electric Lime™ features bright lemon-lime leaves that have an interesting windowpane pattern. It’s a versatile plant that can be used in beds or containers and will do well in sun or shade.

Foliage plant with blood red, velvety looking leaves, the edges of which are frilled.

Frilly Milly™

Frilly Milly™ has impressive deep red leaves with darker, frilly edges and can be a high-impact plant for beds and borders.

Unusual coleus due to its narrower pointed leaves, these are a dusky dark pink.

Lancelot Velvet Mocha™

Try some chocolate in your garden with Lancelot Velvet Mocha™. The bronze- to chocolate-colored leaves can provide a nice contrast with other plants.

A coleus with narrow, frilly yellow leaves.

Lemon Sunsation™

Crimson edging accentuates the chartreuse leaves of Lemon Sunsation™. The lace-like foliage gives a delicate look to a tough plant. It grows well in all light conditions, between two to three feet tall.

Coleus with yellow leaves that have a deep red center vein

Pineapple Splash™

Easy to grow, Pineapple Splash™ boasts a striking contrast with luscious yellow leaves featuring dashes of crimson venation. Enjoys all light conditions and grows to two to three feet.

This coleus has oval leaves greenish pink with deep pink veining

Royal Glissade™

The novel color pattern of pea green tinged with rose color make this a lively choice for any garden. Royal Glissade™ is a late-flowering variety, and its excellent vigor and branching are great qualities for homeowners.

Coleus with smaller leaves red with splashes of yellow, almost like paint had been spattered on them.

Splish Splash™

This lively variety has burgundy leaves, edged in green and “splashed” with gold.

This coleus has thinner green leaves marked heavily with a deep purple.

Twist ‘n’ Twirl™

The multi-colored leaves appear to be twisting and the novel leaf shape brings a new perspective to the “standard” coleus. Twist ‘n’ Twirl™ is a little bit taller with an average height of three to four feet. It’s two to four feet wide and grows best under partial sun. Twist ‘n’ Twirl is a unique cultivar due to its multi-colored, highly lobed, cut-flower foliage shape. The foliage color encompasses oranges, reds, yellows, light and dark greens.

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