Message from
In forum: Identify a plant
Looks like Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Tom Thumb'.
Message from
In forum: Container gardening
Hi, Kevin,
I certainly agree - decent sized Acer palamatum can be expensive. Another concern about putting one on your terrace is scorch - emerging leaves in can be easily damaged by wind, sun, or frost. It won't hurt the plant much at all, but will look unsightly. Only way to avoid that is to move to the most sheltered spot you can find for winter/spring. Using Prunus cerasifera 'Nigra' could be done but it will get quite large - too large for a container unless you are ready to do a lot of restrictive crown & root pruning. Other suggestions for purple leaves, flowers, etc are:
- Cotinus coggyria 'Royal Purple' - one of my favourites - gorgeous purple colour, great, fun flowers
- Prunus x cistena - Purple-leaved sand cherry is compact and gives all that a large cherry gives.
- Loropetalum chinense f. rubrum - purple foliage and pink, witch-hazel-like flowers - it is tender in frost so it would need protection but it is evergreen!
- Enkianthus cernuus var. rubens - leaves turn purple-red in autumn
- Hebe - quite a few to choose from with purple leaves or purple-variegated leaves; 'Neils' Choice', 'Lady Ann' 'Amy' & 'Black Beauty' to name a few
- Rhododendron 'Everred'
- Leucothose 'Scarletta' - evergreen
- Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Tom Thumb' - dwarf so perfect for a container, evergreen, but not much in the way of flowering and is a bit tender.
- Weigela florida 'Foliis Purpureis'
So, there are just a few ideas. I think all of these suggestions are on this site. I vote for the Cotinus or Prunus x cistena! :)
Please let me know what you choose!
Kathy C.
K
Comment from
In forum: Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Tom Thumb'
This plant is a particular favorite plant of mine. This plant looks fantastic planted with Helleborus x orientalis of one type or another, a semi double pink looks great! Reasonably compact growth, with really interesting foliage when new green growth comes through the black older leaves. Plant as a specimen or as a low hedge maybe.