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Coleus
Coleus scutellarioides
Also known as Coleus scutellarioides, Plectranthus scutellarioides, Painted Nettle
Plantae›Lamiaceae
📍 Southeast Asia
Vivid leaves in reds, pinks, and lime; roots in water almost instantly. Grown emersed with its roots in the tank water, it works as a living biofilter — pulling up nitrate while the foliage stays in the air.
Grown with its roots in the tank water and its leaves in the air — a living nitrate filter, not a submerged aquarium plant. Give it bright indirect light; no aquarium CO₂ or substrate needed.
Sap can irritate skin and is toxic to pets if eaten — keep foliage above the water; the roots are safe.
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Quick Facts
- light
- Bright indirect to some sun
- biofilter
- true
- placement
- Emersed — roots in water, leaves in air
- growth rate
- fast
Water it likes
- ph
- 6.0–7.5
- nitrate
- Thrives on high nitrate — a strong natural exporter
- hardness
- Soft to hard (2–20 dGH)
- temperature
- 64–82°F (18–28°C)
Legality
No state or federal restrictions on record for this species.
Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and locality and change over time — always confirm the current regulations with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping, or shipping this species.