Has anyone used Semps in combination with coleus or caladiums?
Any other annuals?
I have a large rectangle planter on the deck and wanted to plant part with semps.and add annuals to fill out the combination.

I had this pot and I put a coleus in the mix one summer.

I like it.
Its something to think about all winter.The semps here will be new and just not as grown in as I would like.I needed a filler.

It looks nice, but I think coleus is faster growing than semps..it might easily overtake and cover up the semp instead.

tarev: I thought about that.I think I will look at the short mounding ones.The rectangle planter is long and narrow 28X12 I thought semps in one end and coleus at the other.
Aurora Black cherry is low and didnt get huge.



There are other low coleus but the leaf shapes dont look great with spiky semps.
Its a plan in progress.

It worked the pic I posted I had done several years ago. It was one of those lay on its side in the garden, A pot made to look like a pot that fell over. I no longer have it because someone kept sitting it up because they thought the pot had fell over. Even though the side was flat vs a flat bottom. The dumb lawn service kept sitting it up and it fell off the rock wall and broke.

The reason it worked is....

- Soil is leaner than what I would use for Semp. The coleus is not permanent so I used the preferred soil for Semps which slowed the growth of the Coleus.

- The lighting is different there was a little more sun than the coleus would normally receive.

- Type of coleus I used a spiller coleus.

Thats good information,thanks

I guess it can work, a lot of trimming to keep the coleus growth in check. I have just started to grow coleus this year, and the small seedlings are giants right now, that's why I am not sure about mixing it with semps. Maybe for a very temporary arrangement it can work. The other thing is the soil and watering needs. I find my coleus thirstier than the semps, so you might risk rotting the semp or if too less water, the coleus will suffer. But the again, my location demands that amount of watering for my coleus to survive the heat and just fine and dandy for my semps. So if your area is cooler, then it can somehow check the growth of the plants and will thrive just right together in that set-up.

It will be fun to see how that goes with your plants Joanne. Have never done that type of combination so I will watch how yours will go.

I have never done it either and am reconsidering based on your water needs tip.

Maybe try and get feedback too with other semp growers on the sempervivum forum, and see what they think.

Trust me it works. You do not have anything to lose. Break a piece of your small trailing coleus and stick it in a pot of semps.

Do what the semps need. They are the focus because they are the permanent plant. If the coleus grows slow because of the lean soil and less water you will not have any problems. If the coleus loves the conditions and grows to fast you can clip the coleus or remove it from the pot. It is a annual. No loss.

You do not make perfect conditions for the coleus it is there as decor. Use it as decor that you use in your house move it if it does not work in the corner you place it but leave the couch.

Cinta: Thanks for the trailers tip.They give me more color options. Its easier to controle the coleus than the semps.
This planter is about 10 inches deep.