Dark Star, also known as Flame Nettle or Painted Nettle, is an ornamental member of the Mint family native to tropical Asia and northern Australia. This Coleus has a compact, upright habit of 12-24" tall and 20" wide. Dark Star's deep purple rounded, scalloped leaves are a low-maintenance summer annual for mixed containers or hanging baskets. This plant isn't cold-hardy but can overwinter indoors or grow as a houseplant. Dark Star flourishes in full or partial shade with minimal water, bringing hummingbirds to the tropical or modern landscape with its attractive texture and color.
Dark Star Selling Tips
Sell Dark Star to customers looking for unique foliage to add to a mixed container, landscape border, or houseplant collection. Customers will love the attractive contrast and texture Coleus's deep purple scalloped foliage offers. This plant is low-maintenance, requiring little more than regular water and full to partial shade to flourish until cold temperatures set in. While Coleus is evergreen in zone 10-11, it can overwinter indoors or grow as a houseplant in bright indirect light. This variety has a compact, upright habit, attracts hummingbirds, and resists deer. Create an inviting modern landscape border or mixed patio container by pairing this plant with Begonia, Calibrachoa, Fuchsia, Impatiens, Ipomoea, and Lantana. Plant alongside Jupiter for striking color contrast.
Coach Your Customer
1. Space plants 20" apart in well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade.
2. Water regularly, not allowing the soil to completely dry out.
3. Pinch off any flowers that appear to encourage all the plant's energy to go into the prized foliage.
General Growing Tips For Your Rooted Cutting Liner
For best results with Dark Star, plant one rooted plug per 4-inch container or three per 10-inch container. Use a well-drained soil with a pH of 5.8-7.0, EC of 1.0-2.0, temperatures of 68-72, and light feed (100-150 ppm N). Maintain light intensity at 1,500-3,000 fc for best foliage color. This plant doesn't require pinching or PGRs. You may see aphids, mealybugs, and whiteflies, and this plant can be prone to botrytis and root rot.
Flowering
This plant is grown for its foliage. Pinch off any small flowers that appear in summer.
Pinching
This plant doesn't require pinching.
Spacing
Space containers for adequate airflow and sunlight penetration around the base of each plant.
Height Control
This plant doesn't require PGRs.
Pests
You may see aphids, mealybugs, thrips, and whiteflies.
Disease
Dark Star can be prone to botrytis and root rot during short days or wet, humid conditions. Prevent these fungal infections by watering at the base of each plant in the morning, providing good airflow in your greenhouse, and keeping containers spaced to allow sunlight to penetrate to the soil level. The most common chemicals used to treat botrytis are Medallion and Banrot. Use them as a drench according to each label’s instructions.
Planting Dark Star Liners
Plant one rooted liner per 4- or 6-inch container or three per 10-inch container. Use a well-drained soil in partial shade and completely bury the ellepot in the center or evenly spaced in your container.
Rooted Cuttings
Cuttings vary in size between different plant families. These rooted starter plants will arrive ready to be transplanted in to your final container. If they are to be used in a landscape application, you will need to establish them in a 4 inch pot or an 1801 before planting outside.
Coleus Dark Star Quick Reference Guide
4 Inch crop time
3-5 Weeks
10 Inch crop time
6-10 Weeks
Color
Dark Purple
Habit
Compact, Upright
Height
12-24 Inches
Light
Full Shade, Partial Shade, Partial Sun
Minimum Temp
59
Perennial Zone
10-11
Water Needs
Moderate
Patented Plant
No
Current
Availability
Current Availability
07-13-2026 (Week 29)
0
07-20-2026 (Week 30)
0
07-27-2026 (Week 31)
0
08-03-2026 (Week 32)
0
08-10-2026 (Week 33)
0
08-17-2026 (Week 34)
0
08-24-2026 (Week 35)
0
08-31-2026 (Week 36)
0
09-07-2026 (Week 37)
0
09-14-2026 (Week 38)
0
09-21-2026 (Week 39)
700
09-28-2026 (Week 40)
700
10-05-2026 (Week 41)
700
10-12-2026 (Week 42)
600
10-19-2026 (Week 43)
1,200
10-26-2026 (Week 44)
1,200
11-02-2026 (Week 45)
1,200
11-09-2026 (Week 46)
2,200
11-16-2026 (Week 47)
2,200
11-23-2026 (Week 48)
2,200
11-30-2026 (Week 49)
2,200
12-07-2026 (Week 50)
2,200
12-14-2026 (Week 51)
2,200
12-21-2026 (Week 52)
4,500
12-28-2026 (Week 53)
4,500
01-04-2027 (Week 01)
4,500
01-11-2027 (Week 02)
5,500
01-18-2027 (Week 03)
5,500
01-25-2027 (Week 04)
5,400
02-01-2027 (Week 05)
5,200
02-08-2027 (Week 06)
3,600
02-15-2027 (Week 07)
4,000
02-22-2027 (Week 08)
3,700
03-01-2027 (Week 09)
3,500
03-08-2027 (Week 10)
4,000
03-15-2027 (Week 11)
3,300
03-22-2027 (Week 12)
0
03-29-2027 (Week 13)
0
04-05-2027 (Week 14)
2,400
Dark Star, also known as Flame Nettle or Painted Nettle, is an ornamental member of the Mint family native to tropical Asia and northern Australia. This Coleus has a compact, upright habit of 12-24" tall and 20" wide. Dark Star's deep purple rounded, scalloped leaves are a low-maintenance summer annual for mixed containers or hanging baskets. This plant isn't cold-hardy but can overwinter indoors or grow as a houseplant. Dark Star flourishes in full or partial shade with minimal water, bringing hummingbirds to the tropical or modern landscape with its attractive texture and color.
Dark Star Selling Tips
Sell Dark Star to customers looking for unique foliage to add to a mixed container, landscape border, or houseplant collection. Customers will love the attractive contrast and texture Coleus's deep purple scalloped foliage offers. This plant is low-maintenance, requiring little more than regular water and full to partial shade to flourish until cold temperatures set in. While Coleus is evergreen in zone 10-11, it can overwinter indoors or grow as a houseplant in bright indirect light. This variety has a compact, upright habit, attracts hummingbirds, and resists deer. Create an inviting modern landscape border or mixed patio container by pairing this plant with Begonia, Calibrachoa, Fuchsia, Impatiens, Ipomoea, and Lantana. Plant alongside Jupiter for striking color contrast.
Coach Your Customer
1. Space plants 20" apart in well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade.
2. Water regularly, not allowing the soil to completely dry out.
3. Pinch off any flowers that appear to encourage all the plant's energy to go into the prized foliage.
General Growing Tips For Your Rooted Cutting Liner
For best results with Dark Star, plant one rooted plug per 4-inch container or three per 10-inch container. Use a well-drained soil with a pH of 5.8-7.0, EC of 1.0-2.0, temperatures of 68-72, and light feed (100-150 ppm N). Maintain light intensity at 1,500-3,000 fc for best foliage color. This plant doesn't require pinching or PGRs. You may see aphids, mealybugs, and whiteflies, and this plant can be prone to botrytis and root rot.
Flowering
This plant is grown for its foliage. Pinch off any small flowers that appear in summer.
Pinching
This plant doesn't require pinching.
Spacing
Space containers for adequate airflow and sunlight penetration around the base of each plant.
Height Control
This plant doesn't require PGRs.
Pests
You may see aphids, mealybugs, thrips, and whiteflies.
Disease
Dark Star can be prone to botrytis and root rot during short days or wet, humid conditions. Prevent these fungal infections by watering at the base of each plant in the morning, providing good airflow in your greenhouse, and keeping containers spaced to allow sunlight to penetrate to the soil level. The most common chemicals used to treat botrytis are Medallion and Banrot. Use them as a drench according to each label’s instructions.
Planting Dark Star Liners
Plant one rooted liner per 4- or 6-inch container or three per 10-inch container. Use a well-drained soil in partial shade and completely bury the ellepot in the center or evenly spaced in your container.
Rooted Cuttings
Cuttings vary in size between different plant families. These rooted starter plants will arrive ready to be transplanted in to your final container. If they are to be used in a landscape application, you will need to establish them in a 4 inch pot or an 1801 before planting outside.
Coleus Dark Star Quick Reference Guide
4 Inch crop time
3-5 Weeks
10 Inch crop time
6-10 Weeks
Color
Dark Purple
Habit
Compact, Upright
Height
12-24 Inches
Light
Full Shade, Partial Shade, Partial Sun
Minimum Temp
59
Perennial Zone
10-11
Water Needs
Moderate
Patented Plant
No
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