There is an annual bedding plant that dazzles in the shade or the sun. It is among the last plants planted each year, as if it were placed at the back of the line. But from the hottest days of summer to the cool days of fall, your eyes are drawn to its beauty. It is the ColorBlaze Sedona Sunset coleus.

If you have ever been to Sedona, Arizona, you know the color I am talking about. It is a glorious rusty orange. It mesmerizes and you wish you could just look at it 24-7.

Right now, at The Garden Guy’s house that rusty orange of ColorBlaze Sedona Sunset gets hit by sun about 5 in the afternoon in a bed with various shades of chartreuse courtesy of Shadowland hostas like Coast to Coast and Giant Lone Star. But there is also ColorBlaze Mini Me Chartreuse coleus. There is something special about rusty oranges and chartreuses paired together.

Did I plan for this showy affluence of color? Not exactly; it simply had three open spots, and I put the Sedona Sunset plants in. It seems, though, that every year is like this. An empty spot here a spot there and plop in a Sedona Sunset. Then surprise, surprise: They are the plants bringing out the camera.

The ColorBlaze Sedona Sunset coleus has that innate ability to make you look like a gardening genius. It seems that every color you choose as a partner matches perfectly. I am a color combo guru and know it can’t be true, but I haven’t created a clash yet.

I mentioned that it is incredible in sun or shade. To me, there is something special about seeing the rusty orange take on an even richer color in the shade or filtered light. Imagine rusty orange with the highly variegated Shadowland Autumn Frost hosta and the blue blossoms of Let’s Dance Sky View hydrangeas.

We hardly ever think or plan for a plant to be a backdrop for colorful flowers. But that can happen with ColorBlaze Sedona Sunset coleus. A recent example is the backdrop of color with Luscious Royale Cosmo lantana and accompanying Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterflies.

Whether it is a shady fern garden or a couple of plants in what might be considered a jungle, this coleus is stunning. Son James, however, has had more experience growing them in the sizzling sun. He too went with some chartreuse with variegated durantas and colorful blooms from angelonias or summer snapdragons.

ColorBlaze Sedona Sunset can reach 40 inches tall over a long hot summer with a spread of 3 feet. That size can make quite an impression. Fertile well-drained soil will give you the green thumb. I try not to stress them with thirsty conditions. You will most likely notice some leaves with gold margins. These don’t bother me the slightest. The copper orange is not diminished whatsoever.

ColorBlaze Sedona Sunset is an award-winning coleus: Perfect Score (Oklahoma State University and University of Minnesota), Leader of the Pack (North Carolina State JC Raulston Arboretum), and a dozen Top Performer Awards. It will win for you too!

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(Norman Winter, horticulturist, garden speaker and author of “Tough-as-Nails Flowers for the South” and “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.” Follow him on Facebook @NormanWinterTheGardenGuy.)

(NOTE TO EDITORS: Norman Winter receives complimentary plants to review from the companies he covers.)

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