Coleus

Coleus scutellarioides

Also known as Coleus scutellarioides, Plectranthus scutellarioides, Painted Nettle

Plantae›Lamiaceae

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.

Terrestrial / emersed plant

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.

Toxic if eaten

Sap can irritate skin and is toxic to pets if eaten — keep foliage above the water; the roots are safe.

Where it's from

Native to Bismarck Archipelago, Borneo, Cambodia, China Southeast, Jawa, Laos and 17 more

Recorded as introduced in Bangladesh, Belize, Caroline Is., Colombia and 35 more places

At a glance

Light: Bright indirect to some sun
Growth: Fast
Placement: Emersed — roots in water, leaves in air
Temp: 64–82°F; 18–28°C
pH: 6.0–7.5
GH: 36–357 ppm; 2–20 dGH

Member photos

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Legality

No state or federal restrictions on record.

Not legal advice, and possibly incomplete or out of date. Rules vary by state and change over time; check with your state wildlife or agriculture agency before buying, keeping or shipping it.

The care information here is written with AI help, so it can contain mistakes. Spot one? Tell us and we'll fix it. Native range: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) (CC BY 4.0).