Any member of the Old World tropical plant genus Coleus , containing about 150 species, in the mint family, best known for its colourful foliage.
Varieties of C. blumei , from Java, are well-known houseplants and garden plants. They have square stems and small, blue, two-lipped flowers in spikes. Bush coleus ( C. thrysoideus ), from Central Africa, produces sprays of bright blue flowers. Others are variously known as flame nettle, painted leaves, painted nettle, Spanish thyme, Indian borage, country borage, and flowering bush.