What to Plant with Coleus: 10 Beautiful Companion Plants

Coleus is a beautiful, versatile plant that can add striking color and texture to gardens and containers. With its colorful foliage, coleus serves as an excellent companion plant to highlight other flowers, vegetables and foliage. When choosing companion plants, consider color, height, and sun exposure to create attractive, thriving combinations. Here are 10 great options for what to plant with coleus:

1. Lantana

Lantana is a perfect companion for coleus. It blooms from spring to fall in shades like yellow, orange, pink and red The mounded shape and arching branches contrast nicely with coleus’ upright habit. Lantana grows 12-24 inches tall Plant it with short coleus varieties like Wizard Mosaic or Ruby Ruffles. The bright lantana flowers will make the coleus colors pop. Both plants thrive with full sun exposure.

2. Impatiens

Impatiens offer lots of possibilities to complement coleus. Their flowers come in single and double forms, in colors like white, pink, red, orange, purple and bicolor blooms. Impatiens do best in partial shade to full shade. Choose shade-loving coleus varieties like Henna, Sedona or ColorBlaze Wicked Hot to pair with impatiens The impatiens will trail over the edges of pots and hanging baskets, creating a lush look

3. Begonias

For a shady garden bed or container, combine coleus with begonias like the classic wax begonia or the elaborate, large-flowered Dragon Wing begonia. The shiny, succulent leaves and bright blooms of begonias provide great contrast to the more prominently veined, matte and colorful coleus foliage Try combining the upright, red-violet Wizard Jade coleus with trailing white flowering wax begonias

4. Heliotrope

The fragrant, old-fashioned appeal of heliotrope makes it an excellent companion for coleus. Its flowers bloom in shades of violet-blue to deep purple. Try combining heliotrope with a coleus that has contrasting chartreuse foliage like Wasabi or Golden Dreams, which will make the purple blooms pop. Both plants thrive in full sun to partial shade exposures. Heliotrope’s mounded form, reaching 12-18 inches tall, will complement taller upright coleus varieties nicely.

5. Cordyline

For a bold, architectural look in containers, pair a colorful coleus with a cordyline like ‘Red Star’ or ‘Pink Champagne.’ Cordyline is a strappy-leafed plant that can grow 3-4 feet tall with proper care and fertilization. Underplant the cordyline’s upright structure with a trailing coleus variety like Trailing Rose, adding swaths of color and texture. Both plants thrive in full sun to partial shade and with adequate water.

6. Dusty Miller

The silvery white foliage of dusty miller makes an eye-catching contrast with the rainbow leaf colors of coleus. As a companion plant, dusty miller will highlight and accentuate the coleus colors. Plant them in full sun for strongest coloration. Choose an upright coleus variety like ColorBlaze Dipt in Wine and an mounding dusty miller like Silverdust to complement each other’s form. Dusty miller typically reaches 12-18 inches tall.

7. Sweet Potato Vine

For bountiful trailing texture, pair coleus with a sweet potato vine like the classic ‘Margarita’ or the burgundy-leaved ‘Blackie.’ The thin, heart-shaped leaves of sweet potato vine will spill gracefully over container edges alongside coleus. Sweet potato vines love heat and thrive in full sun exposures. Upright coleus varieties like Kong series create great contrasting texture with the fine, trailing foliage of sweet potato vines.

8. Ornamental Grasses

Add movement and elegance by combining coleus with ornamental grasses like purple fountain grass (Pennisetum). The fine, arching purple plumes will sway gracefully above bushy coleus varieties. Or for containers, use compact grasses like ‘Prairie Winds’ zebra grass, which reaches just 10 inches tall. Always group grasses and coleus in full sun for best color.

9. Petunias

Petunias offer season-long color and bloom profusely in both sun and shade exposures. Combine them with coleus for a high-impact display of color and texture. Try pairing trailing petunias in bold colors like ‘Supertunia Vista Silverberry’ with an upright veined coleus like Kingswood Torch. Petunias and coleus also combine beautifully in hanging baskets, with the petunias spilling over the edges.

10. Amaranthus

For exotic texture and color, match coleus with amaranthus varieties like ‘Hopi Red Dye’ or ‘Molten Fire.’ Many amaranthus feature brightly colored foliage and tall, arching flower plumes. Their unique shapes and heights contrast beautifully with coleus. Amaranthus thrives in full sun and in hot conditions, making it an ideal companion for sun-loving coleus.

With its diversity of colors, shapes and growing habits, coleus can be combined with virtually any flowering plant. Use these companion plant ideas as a starting point, considering height, form, sun exposure and bloom time. Plan out companion plants that will complement and accentuate the coleus foliage colors and textures. With the right combinations, coleus and companion plants will keep gardens, beds and containers looking great all season long.