Little Flames Leucothoe

Little Flames Leucothoe (Leucothoe 'Little Flames') is a low evergreen shrub grown for the colour of its new growth. It makes a rounded mound about 80cm tall and 80cm wide, and each flush of leaves opens bright red before settling to deep green, with the whole plant colouring again through autumn and winter. It is one of the few good looking shrubs that genuinely prefers shade and damp ground.

Why you'll love it

• Colour without flowers. Red and copper new growth appears through the year, so it carries a display between the short white flowering in spring.
• It wants the shady spot. Part shade suits it best, which makes it useful under trees and along south facing walls where most shrubs thin out.
• Damp ground is fine. Wet feet tolerant, so it copes with the low corner of a garden that stays soggy after rain.
• Neat and slow. It grows slowly to a tidy 80cm dome and holds that shape with almost no pruning.
• Frost is no problem. Fully frost hardy, and cold deepens the winter colouring.

Where it works best

Borders and mass planting. Plant 50cm apart for a low massed border. At that spacing the mounds meet in about two seasons and read as a continuous ribbon of colour.

Pots and small gardens. A pot 400mm or wider suits it, and at 80cm it never outgrows a courtyard or a narrow shaded bed.

Groundcover under trees. Massed at 50cm centres it covers the shaded ground beneath established trees, where lawn gives up.

Growing Little Flames Leucothoe in Australia

Position and climate. Part shade is the sweet spot. Morning sun with afternoon protection gives good colour without scorching, and deep shade works but the red is duller. This is a cool temperate and warm temperate plant only. It is not suited to tropical, subtropical or arid gardens, where summer heat and dry air burn the foliage.

Soil. Acidic, humus rich and moisture retentive, the same conditions azaleas and camellias want. Work compost or aged pine bark through the bed and mulch 50mm deep. Alkaline soil causes yellowing between the leaf veins.

Water and feed. Keep the root zone evenly moist, particularly through the first two summers. Feed with an azalea and camellia fertiliser in early spring, and again lightly after flowering.

Pruning. Barely necessary. Tip prune after the spring flowering to encourage another flush of red growth, and remove any bare or damaged stems at the base.

What to expect when it arrives

This one comes in a single size, a 200mm pot sold in packs of six, which is the right quantity for a border run or a massed group. Plants arrive as bushy young shrubs around 25cm to 30cm tall, already branching and often carrying coloured new growth.

Because it grows slowly, be patient. Expect roughly 15cm to 20cm of growth a year and a filled border by year three. Delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse more plants for partial shade.
• See our autumn colour range for companions that turn at the same time.
• Read about low growing plants for borders.
• Compare options across our evergreen shrub collection.

Common questions

Is it safe around cats and dogs?

No. Leucothoe belongs to the same family as pieris and azalea, and the foliage should be treated as toxic to cats and dogs if chewed. Plant it away from where pets graze.

How far apart should I plant it?

Fifty centimetres apart for a massed border or groundcover. Because it is slow growing, closer spacing is not wasted, but it will still take two seasons to close.

Will it grow in full sun?

Not well in most of the country. In cool temperate gardens it tolerates morning sun, but hot afternoon sun bleaches and scorches the leaves. Part shade gives the best colour.

Can I keep it in a pot?

Yes. Use a 400mm pot with acidic potting mix, keep it out of hot afternoon sun, and never let it dry out.