Botanical Name: Plectranthus scutellarioides ‘Main Street Beale Street’

Common Name: Coleus

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

Size: 24–30" Tall × 18–24" Spread

Growth Habit: Upright, Vigorous, 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: Deep Burgundy Centers with Bright Chartreuse Margins, Bold Contrast, Strong Stems, Excellent Heat Tolerance

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

Patent: ✔ Patented

Propagation: ❌ Propagation Prohibited Without License

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

More About Coleus ‘Main Street Beale Street’

‘Main Street Beale Street’ is a Coleus recognized for its sharply defined two-tone foliage, featuring rich burgundy centers framed by bright chartreuse margins. The contrast is clean and consistent, giving the plant a graphic, almost outlined appearance that remains distinct even from across the garden. The leaves are broad and slightly textured, allowing the color pattern to hold depth rather than appearing flat.

As part of the Main Street series, ‘Beale Street’ was bred for improved sun tolerance, sturdy stems, and reliable landscape performance. Unlike older Coleus varieties that were prone to bleaching or stem collapse in high light, this selection maintains strong color saturation and upright structure throughout the heat of Summer. It performs well in full sun but is equally adaptable to partial shade, making it useful in a wide range of planting situations.

Why We Like It (Our Trials)

In our trials here in the South Carolina Upstate, we’ve pushed ‘Beale Street’ in a wide range of real-world conditions to see where it truly excels. We’ve grown it in large decorative containers in full, all-day sun where reflected heat off gravel and concrete can intensify stress. We’ve planted it in open landscape beds with no afternoon protection. We’ve also trialed it in mixed light areas where it receives morning sun and dappled afternoon shade. Across all of those placements, one thing has remained consistent: the color contrast stays sharp.

Some burgundy Coleus varieties tend to muddy out in extreme heat, with reds fading toward brown and bright edges dulling over time. ‘Beale Street’ has not shown that tendency in our experience. Even during extended stretches of high humidity and temperatures in the mid to upper 90s, the center remains richly saturated, and the chartreuse margins continue to glow cleanly around each leaf. The two-tone pattern stays defined rather than blending together, which is critical for maintaining its bold visual impact. Overall, ‘Main Street Beale Street’ combines durability, structural integrity, and dependable color retention in a way that makes it one of the stronger sun-tolerant Coleus options available. 

Main Street Beale Street vs. Other Coleus

Within the Main Street Series, ‘Beale Street’ is bolder and darker than ‘Main Street Wall Street’, offering richer burgundy tones and stronger contrast. Where Wall Street reads structured and classic, Beale Street is more expressive, making it better for focal planting rather than mass repetition. Compared to similarly dark upright varieties like ‘Defiance’, Beale Street stands out for its cleaner color separation. Defiance leans moody and dramatic, while Beale Street remains bold without looking chaotic.

Against warm-toned FlameThrower™ varieties such as ‘Cajun Spice’, Beale Street feels cooler and more urban in character. Cajun Spice brings movement and flame-like color shifts, while Beale Street delivers controlled intensity — ideal for formal beds or modern containers. For gardeners looking for a dark, high-impact coleus with a refined, architectural presence, ‘Main Street Beale Street’ is an excellent choice.