About
Small, evergreen shrub about 60cm tall, with arching, red-tinged stems producing glossy, dark green lance-shaped leaves, the new leaves a rich ruby-red in spring and flushed purplish-red in winter. Urn-shaped white flowers 1cm long are produced in short racemes near the ends of young shoots in midsummer.
About the genus
Leucothoe can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs with simple, leathery leaves and racemes or panicles of small bell- or urn-shaped flowers
Growing conditions
SunlightFull shade, Partial shade
Soil typeClay, Loam
Soil pHAcid
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectNorth-facing, East-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH5
Plant details
Plant typeShrubs
HabitClump forming
FoliageEvergreen
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread1-1.5 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden
Care notes
CultivationGrow in reliably moist, acid soil in partial or full shade
PruningPruning group 1
PropagationPropagate by semi-ripe cuttings in summer
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to honey fungus in gardens where it is present but insufficient data to determine degree of susceptibility