Leafscape™ Little Flames Leucothoe

People often contact us here at Nature Hills asking for ways to bring color into their garden. More often than not they come with a preconceived idea that flowers are the only way to bring vibrant color and reliable interest to the landscape.

Then they also want the plant to work in any setting, have leaves all year, never need pruning, not get too big or stay too small, and not need a lot of attention while bringing a lot of attention to wherever they put it. Oh, can it work in a container too?

We smile when we get these calls and point them to this little gem of a plant. Leafscape™ Little Flames Leucothoe (Leucothoe fontanesiana LEAFSCAPE 'Little Flames') is all that you want in a year-round ornamental interest plant and so much more!

This little broadleaf evergreen shrub is impressive! It is native to America, so it is reliably hardy and is very adaptable! It keeps its lovely green foliage all year long, and twice a year (in spring and again in fall) it lights up with growth that turns as red as an iron brand with coppery highlights. As autumn moves into winter, the foliage takes on a blend of burgundy-red, bronze, and dark purple! It completely energizes the garden when it changes colors!

Little Flames only grows two feet high and wide and keeps a nice compact round shape that doesn't require any pruning. Hardy throughout USDA planting zones 5 to 9, these are deer-resistant shrubs that bring in color and pollinators!

Landscape Application:

Little Flames is the perfect partial shade landscaping shrub for background greenery - use as low hedges to define your landscaping beds, as backdrops throughout your gardens to highlight all other plants, and as foundation plants that light up any color home! Plus it has the added bonus of fantastic spring and fall pops of color too!

Keep the theme going with potted Leafscape™ plants in matching urns on your front porch, or a pair standing astride your front steps. Add a low hedge along the sidewalk to give your front yard a bit more definition. That weary evergreen hedge would love a facer hedge of these vibrant beauties to hide their bare leggy bottoms.

Not to be outdone by its foliage, spring brings fragrant white flower clusters that look like dangling dainty bells and the bees and butterflies absolutely adore them. Go ahead and give them a banquet by planting a mass drift of these dazzling shrubs!

Fantastic for naturalized areas, Rain Gardens, shade borders, and anywhere you want to create drama all year round!

• Award Winning Plant
• Leathery Glossy Oval Foliage
• Fast Growing Dwarf Broadleaf Evergreen
• Showy Fire-Red New Growth In Spring & Red Fall Color
• Pollinator-Friendly!
• Dangling Clusters of Bell-Shaped Waxy White Fragrant Blossoms
• Great Container Plant, Low Hedges, Specimen Plantings & Accents

#ProPlantTips for Care:

Sometimes called Doghobble, Dwarf Leucothoe are woodland natives that prefer a site in part shade with deep, acid, well-drained soil amended with plenty of organic matter. Northern growers can plant theirs in more sun, but hot climates should consider a location with afternoon shade. Despite their leathery texture, the leaves are easily damaged by winter wind and hot sun. Plant in a protected location so northern drying winter winds won't burn the leaves.

Provide regular water access for new installations and do not let them dry out. In fact, these hardy shrubs handle occasional flooding and high moisture sites. Water your shrubs very well throughout the autumn so they do not go into a cold climate winter with dry roots. A 3-4 inch deep layer of arborist mulch or bark chips and/or compost is essential for a stress-free shrub!

• Partial Shade/Afternoon Shade
• Rich Well-Drained Soil
• Moderate Regular Moisture
• Appreciates Mulched Beds
• Low Maintenance - Little Pruning Needed
• Deer-Resistant

Low-maintenance. Year-round color. Great color shifts. Beautiful form. Works anywhere, even in containers! This might just be the perfect plant for your garden! You can call us if you want, we love to talk! But it might be quicker to go ahead and order this little beauty online today! (Then you can call us and tell us how much you love it!)