Approximately 150 species of plants belong to the genus Coleus, which is classified as part of the mint family, Lamiaceae. Many of the species, which are also commonly known simply as coleus, display brightly colored foliage that makes them popular as ornamentals. Coleus was especially fashionable with the Victorians, but fell out of favor during most of the twentieth century. This change may have been partly due to an increasing number of commercial growers opting to produce the plants from seed rather than cuttings in an attempt to cut labor and cost. Seed-grown specimens tend to flower more vigorously than those grown from cuttings, and although flowering is desirable for many ornamentals, this is not the case for coleus. The flowers of coleus plants, which typically grow in spikes during late summer, are small and unattractive in comparison to their leaves. Also, if the plants are allowed to flower and seed, foliage growth declines and sometimes ceases completely.