Leucothoe axillaris 'Opstal20' TWISTING RED® leucothoe
size/type
small shrub,small shrub
usual height
0,3-0,5m
usual width
0,4-0,6m
leaves
evergreen broadleaf
colour of leaves
flowers
insignificant or non-blooming
location
full sun to shade
soil type
acidic (peaty)
soil moisture requirements
evenly moist (dislikes drought)
USDA zone (lowest)
7 (down to -23°C)
winter protection
for zone 5+6
for zone 7
categorized
Description of the plant:
Leucothoe species is a relatively new group of plants in Central Europe which gain more and more attention and admirers, including me. They are low or prostrate evergreen shrubs with leathery leaves and sufficient hardiness. Twisting Red® is a Dutch selection by Ron van Opstal, introduced at Plantarium in 2011 with great success. It is protected by European Breeders Rights No. 20101687.Twisting Red® is an evergreen, compact shrub with beautifully twisted leaves. They are deep green and very glossy, new shoots are burgundy red, and the whole shrub turns this red in late autumn for the whole winter until warm days of mid spring. It resembles Curly Red® variety but has smaller leaves and deeper colour. In late spring it produces small, lily-of-the-valley-like white flowers.
Leucothoes grow naturally in woodlands under trees which means that they are used to anything from filtered sun to deep shade. However, in our tests they proved to live happily in full sun, too, if given sufficient moisture. Only in case of long-lasting, harsh frosts without snow we recommend protecting them with greens or white woven to keep the top leaves from sunburn.
As an ericaceous plant it requires soil that is light, acidic, and constantly moist (not wet). If your garden soil is too heavy do not dig a deep hole but make a shallow and wide bed topped up with a good mixture of peat, fine bark chips, and leaf (forest) litter. Keep the soil moist by mulching. Slow-release fertilizers are advised. No pruning needed. Expected hardiness is -24°C (USDA zone 6).
Last update 01-02-2012
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GLOSSARY
- STANDARD QUALITY - Plants of this group are 1st class quality with number of branches and overall density adequate to their size and age, considering they were container grown.
- DE LUXE QUALITY - This label guarantees a luxurious quality of manually selected plants that, compared to their height and age, are exceptionally dense and beautiful.
- EXTRA - These plants are usually mature and bigger specimens with exceptional overall appearance.
- STANDARD (as described in the plant form) means a tree with a trunk of 190-210 cm and a crown at the top, unless specified differently. The commercial size for trees is their girth measured in the height of 1m from ground.
- HOBBY - These plants are of the same quality as our standard-quality plants but younger and therefore cheaper.
- SHRUB - a woody plant with branches growing bushy from the ground level.
- HALF-STANDARD or MINI-STANDARD - a small tree with shorter trunk, its size is usually specified.
- FEATHERED - These are trees with branches growing already from the base of the trunk and up along the stem.
- GRASSES and PERENNIALS - Sizes given usually read the diameter of the pot or the clump, as specified.
