Leucothoe keiskei 'Burning Love' - Switch Ivy

A hardy evergreen small shrub that is clump forming and grown for its striking foliage colour. A dense covering of this lanceolate leaves that are deep purplish red will make a great addition to a mixed border. This colour is dominant in autumn, spring and winter and turns to a more green colour in summer, giving Leucothoe a seasonal effect. In summer clusters of white flowers appear, standing out against the tidy looking waxy foliage.

Leucothoe prefer soils that are acidic so may struggle on a chalk substrate, however it is a hardy plant, and its attractive foliage would look great in a container placed on a patio or balcony planted in an Ericaceous compost. This plant would prefer partial shade as this will help, maintain its unusual foliage colour and it likes a damp soil so add plenty of compost at planting time and as a mulch in subsequent seasons.