Leptodermis
Leptodermis oblonga
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Leptodermis - #2 Container is backordered and will ship as soon as it is back in stock.
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry™
Plant Sentry is designed to protect both consumers and the nursery trade from invasive plant pests and diseases. Sites that display the Plant Sentry protection badge are protected from consumers buying and nurseries shipping material carrying invasive pests and diseases.
This proprietary eCommerce software prevents the shipment of a restricted plant to each state. The Plant Sentry system includes a shipment certification program. The Plant Sentry Compliance Officer works closely with NatureHills.com and each nursery or fulfillment center to ensure only compliant plants are sold to customers.
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Delivery and Shipping
Delivery and Shipping
Shipping
To obtain a more accurate shipment time-frame, simply enter your zip code in the “Find Your Growing Zone” box to the right. Our plants are grown all over the country and lead time on items may be different because of this. Once your order is placed, you will also receive the specific shipment time-frame information as part of your order confirmation. Once an item ships, you will receive shipment notification and tracking numbers, so you can follow along while your plant travels to your doorstep. We use FedEx, UPS, or USPS at our discretion.
Due to winter weather we have put a hold on shipping to the areas shown below in grey. You can still order now and we will ship the plant to you during an appropriate time for your zone.
Standard Shipping Rates
At Nature Hills we handle, package and ship the products you order with the utmost care to ensure healthy delivery. Shipping and handling charges are calculated based on the tables below. Please note that some items include an additional handling surcharge, these will be noted on the item's product page.
From | To | S&H |
---|---|---|
$0 | $19.99 | $24.99 |
$20 | $49.99 | $29.99 |
$50 | $69.99 | $34.99 |
$70 | $99.99 | $39.99 |
$100 | $129.99 | $44.99 |
$130 | $149.99 | $48.99 |
$150 | $150+ | Approx 28% |
Click here to see our full rates
Understanding Plant Options
Nature Hills offers plants in two main formats:
- Container Plants: Grown in pots with soil, sized by container volume and plant age
- Bare Root Plants: Dormant plants without soil, sized by height measurements
Container Plant Sizes
Container sizes indicate plant age and growing capacity rather than liquid volume equivalents. Our containers follow industry-standard nursery "trade gallon" specifications, which differ from standard liquid gallon measurements.
Young Plants (6 months to 18 months old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
2" x 2" x 3" | 0.18 - 0.21 dry quarts | 0.20 - 0.23 dry liters |
4" Container | 0.31 - 0.87 dry quarts | 0.35 - 0.96 dry liters |
4.5" Container | 0.65 dry quarts | 0.72 dry liters |
6" Container | 1.4 dry quarts | 1.59 dry liters |
1 Quart | 1 dry quart | 1.1 dry liters |
5.5" Container | 1.89 dry quarts | 2.08 dry liters |
Established Plants (18 months to 2.5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
2 Quart | 2 dry quarts | 2.2 dry liters |
#1 Container | 2.26 - 3.73 dry quarts | 2.49 - 4.11 dry liters |
5" x 5" x 12" | 3.5 - 4.3 dry quarts | 3.85 - 4.74 dry liters |
Mature Plants (2-4 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#2 Container | 1.19 - 1.76 dry gallons | 5.24 - 7.75 dry liters |
#3 Container | 2.15 - 2.76 dry gallons | 8.14 - 12.16 dry liters |
Large Plants (3-5 years old)
Container Size | Actual Volume | Metric Equivalent |
---|---|---|
#5 Container | 2.92 - 4.62 dry gallons | 12.86 - 20.35 dry liters |
#6 Container | 5.25 - 6.01 dry gallons | 23.12 - 26.42 dry liters |
#7 Container | 5.98 - 6.53 dry gallons | 26.34 - 28.76 dry liters |
Bare Root Plants
Bare root plants are sold by height from the root system to the top of the plant. Plants may exceed minimum height requirements.
Common Sizes:
- Trees: 1 foot, 2 feet, 3 feet, 4 feet, 5 feet, 6 feet
- Shrubs & Perennials: 1 foot, 18 inches, 2 feet
Important Notes
Container Volume Specifications
- Trade Gallon Standard: Our containers follow industry-standard "trade gallon" specifications established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI Z60.1) for nursery stock
- Volume Variations: Actual soil volume may vary due to plant root systems and growing medium settlement
- Age Indicators: Container size primarily indicates plant age and maturity rather than liquid volume equivalents
Growing Conditions
- Plant size can vary based on variety and growing conditions
- Container size helps indicate plant maturity and establishment level
- Larger containers generally mean more established root systems and faster landscape establishment
Seasonal Availability
- Bare root plants are available seasonally when dormant
- Container plants are available throughout the growing season
- Specific varieties may have limited availability in certain sizes
Questions?
For questions about specific plant sizes or availability, please contact our plant experts who can help you choose the right size for your landscape needs.
Plant Highlights
Leptodermis highlights at a glance!
Specifications
Specifications
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Brand
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Botanical Name
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Growing Zones
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Mature Height
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Mature Spread
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Sun ExposureFull Sun
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Moisture
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Soil
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Growth RateMedium
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Pollinator Friendly
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Pollinator Required
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Fragrant
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Pruning Time
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Bloom PeriodEarly Spring, Late Spring

Growing Zones 5-8
Fragrant Leptodermis Perfect for Small Spaces
- Covered in Violet-Purple Flowers
- Blooms Look and Smell Like Lilacs
- Flower Power for Months in the Growing Season
- Healthy, Pest-Resistant Green Foliage
- Blooming Alternative to Boxwood
- Dwarf Mounding Shrub
- Keep in Containers
- Butterfly Magnet
- Great for Pollinators and Hummingbirds, Too
- Low Maintenance
- Deer Resistant...They Do Not Seem to Bother This Plant
Love fragrant plants, but have a bit of a brown thumb? Demand a beautiful presentation, but have zero time to devote to care and upkeep.
Try Leptodermis! Never heard of it?
Well, you'll love it! The flowers look and smell like Lilacs, but grow on a tough, tiny plant!
Each year, you'll take delight in the pretty purple-pink flowers of Leptodermis (Leptodermis oblonga). Although small, they cover the subshrub from top to bottom and offer a sensational scent!
Close your eyes, and you'd swear you were standing next to a full-size Lilac bush. But this petite selection fits even in small space gardens, terraces and balconies!
Star-shaped, tubular flowers make Leptodermis a hummingbird magnet through much of the season. Enjoy their speedy antics as they gather nectar from the redolent blooms.
A few times a season, "pinch" the tip off the ends of the branches. Doing this will keep the flower display coming.
Compact Leptodermis grows into a beautiful mound. Small, ovate foliage carries a fine texture to soften the transitions in your garden design.
Rugged, low-maintenance Leptodermis is also a snap to grow and care for. Butterflies love it, but deer stay far away.
It can be grown in containers for a lovely setting on your porch or balcony. Add them as "Fillers" for oversized perennial containers and you'll enjoy them year after year.
Leptodermis is a little-known shrub with a low mounding habit and small violet-purple blooms that appear in late spring and don't stop until frost. It is a blooming machine that is sometimes commonly called the Baby Lilac Shrub.This is a long-blooming, fragrant plant that is gaining in popularity and is already very hard to find. Don't suffer through FOMO (fear of missing out!)...order Leptodermis from us today!
How to Use Leptodermis in the Landscape
Create a polished edging with a long, continuous row of these desirable pollinator-friendly plants. This treatment looks high-end...and turns any planting into an invaluable nectar-rich Butterfly Garden.
Hedge your annual Victory Garden to encourage pollinators to your yard. You'll get higher yields from your vegetable plants with flowers nearby!
Keep a broad mass planting alongside your patio for fragrant flowers most of the season. Plant them a foot apart for a tight fill; or space them 30 inches apart to show off their charming form.
Leptodermis certainly make a fetching single species container. Create multiples of matching pots for an elegant, streamlined look that still offers plenty of interest.
Use this idea on either side of your front door. Go big with this look to keep the scale in harmony with the size of your home.
Pro tip...order enough to fill out the diameter of your pot. Plant them in a triangle or checkerboard to get complete coverage.
Ensure your pots have good-sized drainage holes. Please don't use saucers underneath outdoor containers, or they'll sit in soggy soil.
#ProPlantTips for Care
If you have full sun, they'll bloom and bloom for you! They'll still perform nicely in partial shade, but it's best to ensure they get at least four hours of sunlight.
Well-drained soil is best to keep the root systems happy. However, they do like to have a consistent amount of water.
Use Nature Hills Root Booster during planting to give your investment life-long support at the root level. Symbiotic ingredients work with the roots to help them access water and micronutrients and never "wear out".
Mulch over the root system to keep the weeds at bay and cut down on surface evaporation. Always pull the mulch back away from the stems when you are done.
Prune to shape in early spring. Remember to keep the faded summer blooms tidied up to encourage rebloom.
Become a Leptodermis fan! This special small shrub deserves a place in your garden this season.