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trailing coleus or rex begonia

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 8:07 pm
by princess_saucer
I have a BEAUTIFUL hanging basket that I have thought for the past 2 or 3 months was a rex begonia and now a friend called it a Trailing coleus. I have looked up pictures of both and to me the leaves look like it could be either one. Please help me. I can send pictures if you want..

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 8:20 pm
by Kisal
Yes, please do post pictures. :)

[url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3724]How to Post Pictures & Photos on Forums[/url]

Rex or Trailing Coleus

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:16 pm
by princess_saucer
Here's 2 pix
[url]https://s809.photobucket.com/albums/zz19/princess_saucer/moms%20weird%20flowers/?action=view&current=GetAttachmentaspx.jpg
https://s809.photobucket.com/albums/zz19/princess_saucer/moms%20weird%20flowers/?action=view&current=GetAttachmentaspx12.jpg[/url]

Rex or Trailing Coleus

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:25 pm
by princess_saucer
[img]https://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz19/princess_saucer/moms%20weird%20flowers/GetAttachmentaspx.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz19/princess_saucer/moms%20weird%20flowers/GetAttachmentaspx12.jpg[/img]

I am not sure if I posted the pix correctly or not. Maybe this 1 will work.

Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 9:51 pm
by Kisal
The picture is not clear enough for me to make a definite ID. The easiest way to tell is to look at the stems. Coleus is a member of the mint family, so if you cut across a stem, the cut end will look like a square. All members of the mint family have square stems.

The cut end of a Rex begonia stem will be round.

There was a discussion about this in a thread about catnip, another member of the mint family. Perhaps it will be of help to you. If this doesn't clarify it for you, please do post again. I'd be interested to hear which plant it is you have. :)

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=125283#125283

Rex or Trailing Coleus

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 6:41 pm
by princess_saucer
It appears that I have a unusual but beautiful Coleus! Thank you so so much!!! I do have another plant that I can not identify. I may post some pictures of it in a while. Thank you again..

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:38 pm
by Kisal
Glad you were able to learn your plant's name! :D

help with this also

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 9:55 pm
by princess_saucer
Here's pix of another plant that I desperately need to identify..
https://s809.photobucket.com/albums/zz19/princess_saucer/another%20odd%20plant/?action=view&current=whatisthis.jpg

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:10 pm
by princess_saucer
Maybe this pix will be better. The plant has a square stem. Could it be another Trailing Coleus? It is completely green in color. Please excuse all of my mistakes on my posting.
[img]https://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz19/princess_saucer/another%20odd%20plant/andthis.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i809.photobucket.com/albums/zz19/princess_saucer/another%20odd%20plant/whatisthis.jpg[/img]

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:25 pm
by Kisal
That looks like Swedish Ivy to me. Another of its common names is Creeping Charlie. The scientific name is Plectranthus australis, and you're correct that it is a member of the mint family, although not a Coleus. :)

Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:58 pm
by princess_saucer
Thank you. Actually, Thank You for all of that. My husband and I were outside trying to take pix and when I pointed out the stem he remarked that "it had to be another Trailing Coleus because of the stem". When I mentioned the color (green everywhere)and the fact that it was "trailing" like the other one, he so very "kindly" reminded me that there were over 1,000 variety's of trailing coleus so that was what that was. But seriously Thanks!

I have some pix of another plant that I kind of inherited on another forum. I think that it is some species of Gardina. If you do not mind and have a spare moment I would appreciate your help on that one as well. And my husband thinks it is some kind of Ficus (not sure if that is spelled right or not).