Purple Hop Bush

Purple Hop Bush (Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea') is the fastest way to get a coloured native screen into a hard, dry, windy site. It grows to about 3m tall and 2m wide with narrow bronze purple leaves that deepen through the cooler months, and the papery pink to red seed capsules that follow the tiny flowers are the real ornamental feature.

Why you'll love it

• Purple foliage on a native. Bronze to deep burgundy leaves that hold colour all year and deepen in cold weather.
• Fast to screen. A quick grower that reaches useful height in two seasons, unusual in a plant this drought hardy.
• It handles what kills other shrubs. Frost, drought, salt, wind and poor soil, from Mediterranean and arid gardens to cool temperate ones.
• Papery seed capsules. The pink to red hop like capsules sit on the bush for weeks and give it its common name.

Where it works best

Screening and hedging. Plant 1m apart in a single row for a dense screen to about 3m. It responds well to shearing, so it can be held at 1.5m to 2m as a coloured hedge if you prefer.

Windbreaks and coastal blocks. A staggered double row at 1m spacing filters wind rather than blocking it, which is what an exposed rural or beachside block needs. Salt laden wind does not bother it.

Feature planting. A single plant against a rendered wall or pale gravel gives strong colour contrast with no flowering season to wait for.

Growing purple hop bush in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun. In shade the leaves revert towards green and the shape opens up. It suits subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate, Mediterranean and arid gardens, and it is frost hardy, one of the few coloured screens that works inland and down south.

Soil. Poor, stony, sandy or gravelly ground is fine. Drainage is the only real requirement, so on clay plant on a raised mound. Do not enrich it heavily; rich soil gives soft growth and weaker colour.

Water and feed. Water weekly through the first summer, then leave it alone. Established plants rarely need irrigation, and a light native fertiliser in early spring is more than enough.

Pruning. Tip prune from planting to build density at the base, then trim once or twice a year to hold a hedge line. It shoots from older wood, so a leggy plant can be cut back hard in early spring.

What to expect when it arrives

It is grown as tube stock, in 140mm packs of ten, 200mm packs of six, 250mm packs of three, and single 300mm plants, with tube stock on backorder at present. The packs suit a screen run: ten 140mm plants at 1m centres cover ten metres of fence line. The 300mm plants suit anyone wanting height on day one.

This is a fast grower, so tube and 140mm plants often overtake larger stock within two years. Some leaf drop after transit is normal. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Every plant carries our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Compare options in screening plants from 2m to 4m.
• Browse more plants for windbreaks.
• See the wider Australian native shrub range.
• Read our guide to choosing plants for windy conditions.

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a screen?

One metre apart in a single row. Each plant spreads to about 2m, so that spacing gives an overlapping wall of foliage while leaving room for air and light at the base.

Why is my plant more green than purple?

Not enough sun, or soil that is too rich. Colour is strongest in full sun, lean ground and cold weather; a plant in part shade always looks bronze green rather than burgundy.

Do all plants produce the papery capsules?

No. Hop bush carries male and female flowers on separate plants, and only females set the pink to red capsules. Seedling stock is a mix, so buy it for the foliage and treat capsules as a bonus.