Joseph's coat is an herbaceous perennial in the Amaranthaceae (buckwheat) family. With its strikingly colored foliage it is commonly grown as a houseplant or annual groundcover with its sprawling habit. This plant grows in full sun to partial shade in moist organically rich well-drained soil. Brightly colored leaves are most showy in full sun conditions. Once established, it is quite drought and heat tolerant. There are many popular cultivars featuring green leaves blotched with yellow, orange, red, brown, copper, or purple, sometimes with red veining. Pinch back stems for a more bushy habit. If planting outdoors as a groundcover, place plants 4 to 9 inches apart. Plants can be overwintered indoors, tip cuttings can be taken, or they can be grown from seed. Colorful cultivars make for interesting backdrops in border or edge gardens placed among more common green-leaved plants. Plant in an English or cottage garden, or use in a container on a patio. This plant can also be grown as a houseplant. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems : This plant does not have any serious insect or disease problems. Leaves may bleach in the full sun during hot summers.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Leaves are elliptic to broad ovate green leaves (1” long). There are many colorful cultivars with blotches of gold, orange, red-brown and purple, often with red veining. Brighter leaved varieties are often confused with coleus.
Flower color
Insignificant; White
Flower form
Insignificant
Flower detail
Flowers are white, no petals, insignificant appear in axillary clusters from fall to winter.