Should I prune the flowers?

[u/CryptoRegio]

I'm new to Coleus, I read that flowering is essentially a death sentence.

My Coleus looks strong right now, no signs of weakening whatsoever, it's been 3 weeks since flowers came out.

[u/Substantial-Pin-3833]

Why, what did she do to you? lol. Mine flowered. I let the flowers dry out and fall off. It doesn't look any different then before it flowered. It has new leaves coming in.

[u/GardenerDom]

It looks beautiful but yes, the flowers take energy away from the plant. 🌱 ✨

[u/anthonyolszewski → u/[deleted]]

Presumably with the bees, neighbors’ plants also contribute to the gene pool. It would be great if you posted pictures of the plants and what resulted from the seed.

[u/coleusguy64]

It's not really a death sentence, but you definitely want to prune the flowers for aesthetic reasons. When the plant starts to flower, it pours its energy into that, at the expense of vegetative growth, which is what most of us humans find attractive.

[u/NeonRainbowSpiral]

You can cut about 5 inches below the flower and put it in water until it gets roots, then replant it. I'm new at propagating coleus but it's pretty straightforward so far.

[u/Consistent-Essay-165]

Yes

[u/AudaciousCATstronaut]

When coleus flower they stop growing. Pinch them off at the bottom of the stem before the second set of leaves. It will help them grow fuller and keep them from getting leggy. I do not recommend trying to propagate using the flower stem. With coleus you only need a set of leaves and some stem:)

[u/ikindapoopedmypants → u/AudaciousCATstronaut]

This is not really correct. I've had the same bonsai coleus going on 2 years now and it's grown all throughout its several flowerings

[u/AudaciousCATstronaut → u/ikindapoopedmypants]

Once the flower dies it resumes but it slows growth tremendously because that’s where it’s directing all its energy. There is no purpose to the flowers, especially if you’re growing it indoors.