Botanical Name: Plectranthus scutellarioides ‘Down Town® Vegas Neon’

Common Name: Coleus 

Hardiness Zone: Annual in Most Climates; Perennial in Warm Regions (USDA Zones 10–11)

Size: 18–24" Tall × 18–24" Spread

Growth Habit: Upright, Bushy, Well-Branched Habit

Sunlight: Full Sun to Partial Shade (Excellent Sun Tolerance)

Soil: Prefers Moist, Well-Drained, Organic-Rich Soil 

Water Needs: Moderate; Consistent Moisture for Best Performance

Bloom Season: Grown for Foliage (Spring through Fall)

Fertilizer: Light, Regular Feeding During Active Growth

Features: Neon Pink and Magenta Centers with Lime-Green Margins, Extreme Color Contrast, Strong Stems, Excellent Heat Tolerance

Uses: Ideal for Containers, Landscape Beds, Mass Plantings, Borders, and High-Impact Color Designs

Patent: ✔ Patented

Propagation: ❌ Propagation Prohibited Without License

See our complete Coleus Plant Guide for in depth care details.

More About Coleus ‘Down Town® Vegas Neon’

Coleus ‘Down Town® Vegas Neon’ does not whisper. It announces itself. The foliage is saturated with blazing neon pink and hot magenta tones through the center, framed by bright lime-green margins that make the entire leaf look lit from within. It has that high-voltage contrast that immediately pulls your eye, even in a crowded planting. I’ve watched customers walk straight past rows of flowers and stop dead in front of this one because the color just grabs you. It reads bold from ten feet away, which makes it incredibly useful in larger landscapes.

What makes ‘Vegas Neon’ more than just flashy color is its structure and stamina. As part of the Down Town® series, it was bred for sun tolerance and strong branching, and that breeding shows up quickly once it’s planted. The stems are sturdy, the branching is even, and it builds a full, upright mound without looking forced. I’ve grown older neon coleus that looked spectacular in May and tired by July, but this one keeps its color intensity even when the heat settles in. The magenta center stays saturated, and the lime margin stays clean rather than fading to a dull yellow. That reliability makes it far more practical than many high-impact foliage plants.

Why We Like It (Our Trials)

In our Upstate trials, we’ve planted ‘Vegas Neon’ in open sun containers, mixed patio combinations, and landscape beds that receive long hours of exposure. It fills in evenly and holds a balanced silhouette without constant pinching. I especially appreciate that it doesn’t hollow out in the center as Summer progresses. Even during peak humidity, the color contrast remains sharp and defined. When a plant can handle Southern heat and still look electric, that earns my respect.

From a design standpoint, this Coleus thrives as a focal point. In containers, it commands the center and gives you an instant finished look. In borders, it creates bold punctuation marks that break up stretches of green. When mass planted, the repeated neon pattern creates a dramatic, almost graphic effect across the bed. I like pairing it with solid chartreuse foliage to amplify the brightness, or with dark burgundy plants to deepen the contrast. If you want energy, movement, and unapologetic color in your Summer plantings, ‘Down Town® Vegas Neon’ delivers every time.

Down Town® Vegas Neon vs Other Coleus

Compared to other Down Town® selections like ‘Down Town® Greenville’, ‘Vegas Neon’ immediately reads brighter and more electric, with its intense chartreuse base and bold red veining. Where Greenville leans deeper and moodier, Vegas Neon is high-energy and eye-catching, making it better suited for bold focal use rather than blended mass plantings. Within the same size class as ‘Main Street Wall Street’, Vegas Neon feels more playful and less architectural.

When placed next to lime-forward varieties such as ‘ChargedUp™ Electric Lime’ and ‘Volcanica™ Wasabi’, Vegas Neon separates itself with stronger contrast and patterning. Electric Lime offers cleaner, more uniform color, while Wasabi has softer transitions. Vegas Neon’s veining gives it more visual texture, which makes it pop harder in containers but slightly busier in large beds. Against darker upright Coleus like ‘Main Street Beale Street’, Vegas Neon acts as a visual counterbalance. Those varieties anchor designs with depth, while Vegas Neon injects light and movement. For gardeners looking for maximum color contrast and high-impact foliage, Coleus ‘Down Town® Vegas Neon’ is the standout choice, delivering electric chartreuse leaves with bold red veining that instantly energize containers, beds, and mixed plantings.