Colorful Foliage of Annuals - Marion County
Colorful Foliage Brightens the Landscape
By Steve Mayer
Extension Educator-Horticulture
Purdue Extension-Marion County
Summer is a great time to visit many public gardens to view their beautiful displays of colorful annuals. When most people think of colorful plants, they think of flowers. However, some annual plants are prized for their fantastic foliage.
Whether you create a mass planting or just plant a few containers, consider some of the following distinctive plants grown primarily for their foliage. Most of the plants prefer full sun but a few of them do better in some shade. All of them are used as annuals outside.
The annual plant with the greatest assortment of interesting leaf colors is probably coleus. Foliage colors include black, purple, yellow, green, orange, red, rose, pink, and other variegated types. One company offers over 100 different types of coleus.
Plant height may vary from 6 to 36 inches depending on variety. Coleus grows best in moist soil that is high in organic matter. Plants often look their best in part shade. However, coleus tolerates full shade and some cultivars tolerate full sun.
If you have a passion for purple or red leaves, you can choose from a nice assortment of plants. Blackie ornamental sweet potato has dark maroon to purple leaves. It grows 6-12 inches tall and at least 5 feet wide. Marguerite has chartreuse foliage.
Joseph's Coat or Calico Plant (Alternanthera dentata) has rich purple to burgundy leaves. It may grow to a height of 1-3 feet. The best foliage color occurs in full sun. A related species often grows 6-12 inches tall. Depending on variety, it has green leaves with markings of yellow, orange, red, brown, copper or purple, sometimes with red veins.
Another plant with a variety of foliage colors is Caladium. Plants typically grow 1-3 feet tall. They do best in part shade or filtered sun. Too much direct sun may scorch the leaves. The large leaves come in shades of green mixed with pink, red, white or combinations, often with colored veins.
Canna foliage colors include shades of green, bronze and striped/variegated patterns. Plant height varies from 1.5 to 8 feet. Flower colors include red, orange, pink, yellow, cream and some bicolors.
Copperleaf (Acalypha wilkesiana) is a shrubby plant that will grow 2 to 4 feet tall in a single growing season. It has bronzy-green leaves that are mottled with red and purple, or red and bronze, or other colors. The best foliage color appears in full sun.
Persian Shield (Strobilanthus) has large dark green leaves with a silvery-purple iridescence on the upper leaf surface and dark purple underneath. The best foliage color appears in part shade. Typically it grows 1 to 3 feet tall.
The most popular ornamental grass with reddish purple foliage is purple fountain grass (a variety of Pennisetum setaceum). A related plant with a more upright habit is purple ornamental millet.
Waffle Plant (Hemigraphis 'Exotica') has waffled, glossy maroon to purplish green leaves that are wine red underneath. It grows to 6-15 inches and has a spreading habit. Waffle plant prefers part shade.
Bloodleaf or Beefsteak Plant (Iresine) offers attractive, glossy foliage with clear red color. It grows up to 2-3 feet tall and prefers light shade. Part sun is required for best foliage color.
Purple Heart (Setcreasea) usually grows only 6-8 inches tall. It has rich burgundy foliage and can be used as an annual ground cover.
Golden Sage or Bicolor Sage (Salvia officinalis 'Aurea') grows 1-1.5 feet tall and has wrinkled oblong leaves that are variegated with gold and light green. Lavender-blue flowers also appear in late spring in short, upright spikes.
Flowering Maple (Abutilon) is a shrub-like plant with green/yellow or green/white variegation. Plants usually grow 1-3 feet tall.
Plants with white, silvery or gray-green foliage include Dusty Miller (Senecio cineraria), Licorice Plant (Helichrysum petiolare) and Silver Dollar Plant (Eucalyptus cinerea).
Questions
Q. Where can I see some of these colorful foliage plants?
A. You can view an assortment of colorful plants grown primarily for their foliage at the White River Gardens. Plants grown as annuals in 2004 include many varieties of coleus, Joseph's coat, variegated canna, ornamental sweet potatoes, purple fountain grass, purple ornamental millet, dusty miller, taro (elephant ear), bloodleaf or beefsteak plant, purple perilla, bicolor sage, Cuban oregano, and New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax).
Q. Can you help me find more information on plants grown for their foliage?
A. Whether you are interested in annuals, perennials, or trees and shrubs, you can find more information on the subject at the Fantastic Foliage website.
Steve Mayer is Extension Educator-Horticulture with Purdue Extension-Marion County. He coordinates the Master Gardener program in Marion County. To contact a Master Gardener, call (317) 275-9292, or e-mail: marionmg@purdue.edu
Photo Credit: Steve Mayer
Photo Content: Solenostemon scutellariodides Kiwi - Kiwi Coleus
Purdue University, Indiana Counties and U.S. Department of Agriculture Cooperating. An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution.
August 2004
