How to Grow Golden Bedder
Wikimedia Commons
Golden Bedder
Coleus blumei 'Golden Bedder'
flowerGolden Bedder is a vibrant coleus cultivar prized for its brilliant golden-yellow foliage with deep red or burgundy veining and margins. This tender perennial is grown as an annual in most climates and serves as an excellent bedding plant, container specimen, or houseplant. Its ornamental leaves provide season-long color without requiring flowers to be impressive.
When should you plant Golden Bedder in your zone?
Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.
Example Golden Bedder timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
-
Plant Golden Bedder
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
-
Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
-
First Golden Bedder blooms
Around May 17≈ 30 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Golden Bedder dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Thrives in zones 10b-11; grown as annual or container plant elsewhere
Sign up free to see if Golden Bedder grows in your zone — and get a personalized planting timeline.
Get my Golden Bedder timeline →Growth Stages
Seedling
1-2 weeksTiny emerging seedlings with first true leaves appearing; very delicate and pale
Provide bottom heat (70-75°F), high humidity, and bright indirect light. Keep soil moist. Avoid direct sun. Thin seedlings to prevent damping off.
Vegetative Growth
3-4 weeksPlant develops multiple stems and leaves; golden-yellow color begins appearing within 1-2 weeks; red veining becomes visible
Pinch growing tips when plant has 3-4 leaf pairs to encourage bushier growth. Maintain consistent moisture and bright light. Begin feeding with balanced fertilizer every 2 weeks.
Established Growth
Ongoing through growing seasonPlant reaches full size with dense foliage; vibrant golden coloring is fully developed with prominent red veining and margins
Continue pinching tips to maintain bushy shape. Fertilize every 2 weeks. Remove any flowers that emerge to direct energy to foliage. Increase watering as plant matures.
Flowering
Intermittent throughout seasonSmall lavender or pale blue flower spikes emerge from leaf axils; not the main ornamental feature
Pinch off flowers as they appear to maintain compact plant form and encourage leaf production. Flowering diverts energy from foliage color intensity.
Maintenance
Until frost or season's endPlant remains vibrant and colorful with regular care through fall and early winter or until frost
Continue regular watering and feeding. Move indoors before first frost in colder zones or treat as annual. Reduce fertilizer frequency in late fall.
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
-
Spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil; isolate affected plants; remove with rubbing alcohol on cotton swab
-
Increase humidity; spray with water; use miticide or neem oil if severe
-
Yellow sticky traps; insecticidal soap; neem oil; reflective mulches
-
Hand remove; horticultural oil spray; insecticidal soap
-
and
Remove debris; hand-pick in morning; copper barriers; beer traps
Uses
Edible foliage
CulinaryColeus leaves are technically edible and sometimes used in Southeast Asian cuisine, though Golden Bedder is primarily ornamental. Some varieties are cultivated specifically for edible applications with improved flavor profiles. [source]
Indoor houseplant
HouseholdExcellent container plant for indoors near bright windows or under grow lights. Brings tropical color to homes and offices and can be maintained year-round inside with proper light and humidity. [source]
Dried leaf arrangements
CraftGolden-red leaves can be pressed and dried for use in crafts, scrapbooking, and botanical art projects. Retains color reasonably well when pressed quickly. [source]
Pollinator nectar source
WildlifeSmall flowers attract bees and butterflies when allowed to bloom. While flowers are pinched for foliage production, allowing some to flower supports pollinators. [source]
Bedding and landscape color
HouseholdPrimary use as an annual bedding plant or container specimen. Provides reliable, vibrant golden-yellow color in shaded to partially-shaded garden beds and displays all season long. [source]
Harvest Tips
Golden Bedder is grown for foliage rather than harvest. Pinch or prune stems regularly to maintain bushy shape and maximize color. Remove lower leaves as plant matures to prevent legginess. Propagate easily from stem cuttings in water or moist soil at any time during growing season.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Coleus is one of the few bedding plants that thrives in shade, making it invaluable for brightening dark corners of gardens where golden foliage acts like a light source.
- 🌱 Golden Bedder can be propagated so easily from cuttings that a single mature plant can generate dozens of new plants within weeks, making it economical for gardeners to propagate their own stock.
- 🌱 Coleus was extremely popular as a Victorian houseplant and bedding plant in the 19th century, with hundreds of named cultivars; Golden Bedder is a classic heritage variety that remains widely available today.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.
Get your personalized Golden Bedder planting timeline
Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start Golden Bedder seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.
Get my Golden Bedder timeline →