On Gardening: ColorBlaze Mini Me Chartreuse offers dazzling habit, performance

Norman Winter, Tribune News Service on Nov 27, 2024

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The Garden Guy has been part of a lot of coleus trials over the years, but I don’t remember seeing one like ColorBlaze Mini Me Chartreuse, which will be making its debut in 2025. I gave it casual mention in a column recently, but I am certain it deserves its own column. Hopefully you will see why.

First off it is an electrifying color of chartreuse that simply makes every combination better. The Proven Winners tag says it will reach 20 inches tall with a spread up to 18 inches. That is easily true but I suspect it has more vigor in the tank than that.

I first noticed something extra special about the plant when it swallowed up my Blue Mohawk soft rush, Cherry Cordial cordyline or cabbage palm and my treasured Luminary Sunset Coral tall garden phlox. Now don’t get me wrong, all those plants are still there. I just couldn’t see them. I cut them back hard, and it was just a couple of days later I noticed that even though they were shorter, there was no evidence they had been cut. I thought to myself that was wonderful and a little strange too.

Then around Nov. 1, I started thinking that if there was ever a coleus I should try indoors, it was Mini Me Chartreuse. So I took some 6-inch cuttings thinking I would try and perhaps even see if I could make some poinsettia combos. As I was preparing to stick them in potting soil, I noticed that the 6-inch cuttings had branch after branch. These weren’t long branches; they even had a bushy look. So I stripped off some of the bushiness, if you will, leaving me about 3 inches of bare stem.

My plants in the bed that I had cut back are now 24 inches tall and wide and look as though they will have no problem making December in my zone 8 garden in Midland, Georgia. The cuttings I stuck to try indoors have rooted, but they are not tall enough to make poinsettia partners yet, as of this writing.

I’ve grown ColorBlaze Mini Me Watermelon but never cut branches to know if it was similar in structure to the Mini Me Chartreuse.

It seems to be a tough-as-nails coleus, suitable for full sun or part-shade. I can’t imagine a flower color that would not make a dazzling partner. In addition to Luminary Sunset Coral tall garden phlox, I have also used the new Luminary Pink Lightning phlox and both make a "holy wow" combination. The new Totally Tempted Richly Red and Totally Tempted Watermelon cupheas also make incredible partners.

Lastly, I can tell you I am dreaming of planting a combination that would feature the red Heart to Heart Burning Heart, or Heart to Heart Clowning Around caladiums with the ColorBlaze Mini Me Chartreuse coleus. Both would offer you unparalleled tropical looking beauty that would persevere until a killing frost.

Such is the joy of being a gardener: planning for next year while you still have hands in the soil this year. Follow me on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGarden Guy for more photos and garden inspiration and to see if we make a ColorBlaze Mini Me Chartreuse coleus and poinsettia partnership right after Thanksgiving.

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(Norman Winter, horticulturist, garden speaker and author of “Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy.)

(NOTE TO EDITORS: Norman Winter receives complimentary plants to review from the companies he covers.)