Ebony Leucadendron

Ebony Leucadendron (Leucadendron 'Ebony') is a bold, medium-sized South African shrub about 1.5m tall and 1.5m to 2m wide, with leaves of deep brown-black all year. The leaves nearest the golden true flowers turn maroon and red in winter and spring. Few evergreen shrubs offer such dark foliage with so little effort.

Why you'll love it

• Dark foliage all year. Deepest brown-black leaves give a rich backdrop for pale and silver plants.
• A winter and spring display. Golden flowers sit inside rings of maroon and scarlet leaves on long stems.
• Frost tolerant. It is hardy to -5C, so it suits cooler gardens as well as warm ones.
• Low maintenance. Once mature it is frost and drought tolerant and asks for little care.
• Flexible in the garden. It works in beds, hedges, borders, large pots and cut flower patches.

Where it works best

Dark hedges and borders. Plant 1m apart in a single row. At that spacing the shrubs merge within a few seasons into a dramatic hedge of about 1.5m.

Feature planting. Set it among silver, grey and lime foliage plants. The dark leaves make everything around them glow.

Pots and cut flowers. It is small enough for a large patio pot, and the stems cut well for the vase.

Growing Ebony Leucadendron in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun to part shade. It tolerates frost to -5C and suits Mediterranean, warm temperate and cool temperate gardens. Humid summers are harder, so keep it airy.

Soil. Many soil types are fine, but it must be well drained. Plant on a mound on clay.

Water and feed. Mulch and water regularly for the first four to six weeks, until the plant is established. Use only a low phosphorus native fertiliser, if any.

Pruning. Tip prune lightly after flowering, always cutting back to leafy growth. Leucadendrons rarely reshoot from bare wood.

What to expect when it arrives

We sell Ebony Leucadendron as tube stock, a young plant in an 80mm deep tube that establishes quickly, in 140mm pots in packs of 10 and in 200mm pots in packs of 6. Tubes suit long hedges and the potted packs give faster impact. Tube stock is grown for us and is not always available. If the tube shows as sold out, the grower has none at the moment, and the notify button on the page will email you the day it returns.

Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Browse our leucadendrons
• Drought tolerant plants
• More frost hardy plants
• Frost tolerant plants in Australia

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

Plant 1m apart in a single row. The shrubs reach 1.5m to 2m wide, so this spacing closes the gaps in a few seasons.

Is the dark foliage permanent?

Yes. The leaves are deep brown-black all year, and only those near the flowers turn maroon and red.

Can I grow it in a pot?

Yes. It is small enough for a large pot on a patio. Use free-draining mix and keep it in the sun.