Leucothoe keiskei 'Burning Love' (Purple leucothoe) — H45 cm | Pot Ø17 cm
- Regular price
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€32,95 - Regular price
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- Sale price
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€32,95
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Shipping & packaging
Shipped within 24/48 hours via DPD
- Delivery in 2 to 5 working days
- Eco-friendly packaging: recyclable boxes and biodegradable materials
- Special protection so your plant arrives in perfect condition
- Tracking link sent by email as soon as your parcel ships
- Shipping costs and the free-shipping threshold depend on your country — see our delivery page
ZEN ARRIVAL GUARANTEE
We guarantee that your plants will arrive in perfect condition. If your plant arrives damaged or in poor condition:
- Contact us promptly at hello@verdeia.eu with photos
- We will find the right solution for your situation
- No return needed — we trust you
The guarantee covers: damage in transit, plants severely weakened on arrival, and order preparation errors.
CARE TIPS ON ARRIVAL
To help your plant settle in for the long term:
- Unpack your plant immediately and inspect it
- Let it acclimatize for 24-48h in a bright spot out of direct sunlight
- Check the soil moisture before watering (dry surface = light watering)
- Wait 2-3 weeks before repotting, if needed
- Keep it away from heat sources and drafts
- Gently wipe the leaves to remove dust
Need help? Contact our team at hello@verdeia.eu or via chat.
❤️ Burgundy-red young shoots • 🌿 Dark, glossy green in summer • 🍇 Deep purple from autumn through winter • 🌘 Partial shade to shade • ❄️ Hardy to -20 °C • 🪴 Arching habit, ideal in a pot
Leucothoe keiskei 'Burning Love' is an evergreen shrub with long, narrow leaves that shift from burgundy red to dark green and then purple throughout the year. A horticultural selection from Europe (the Netherlands), discovered by Ron van Opstal at his nursery in Zundert, it is one of the hardy plants in the catalog that retain their color in the depths of winter.
Its pointed, smooth, highly glossy leaves, 5 to 10 cm long, emerge burgundy red in spring, turn dark green in summer, then regain deep purple tones from autumn to the end of winter. Its branches arch slightly, and small white bells hang in clusters in early summer.
Which colorful-leaved shrub should you choose?
Ten evergreen shrubs from the catalog, chosen for their foliage rather than their flowers:
- Leucothoe 'Burning Love' (this plant) — smooth, narrow leaves, burgundy red in spring, purple in winter. The deepest purple, with an arching habit.
- Leucothoe Scarletta® 'Zeblid' — dark red leaves in spring, glossy green edged in red, bronze in winter. The largest of the leucothoes, with an arching habit.
- Leucothoe 'Little Flames' — green leaves with flame-red tips in winter, coppery young shoots. The best suited to a small hedge.
- Leucothoe 'Colour Diamond' — coppery young shoots followed by green leaves edged in cream, turning red in cold weather. The narrowest, ideal for a small pot.
- Leucothoe 'Makijaz' — green leaves splashed with white, pink in spring, burgundy in winter. The most spreading.
- Leucothoe 'Curly Red' — curly red leaves in spring, dark green in summer, purple in winter. The most changeable through the seasons.
- Leucothoe 'Curly Gold' — curly golden and acid-green leaves, compact. The brightest in deep shade.
- Japanese aralia 'Spider Web' — large palmate leaves speckled with white, for partial shade. The most exotic.
- Euonymus 'Emerald 'n' Gold' standard — small green and gold leaves, trained into a ball on a 90 cm standard. The most structured, in sun or partial shade.
- Photinia 'Little Red Robin' standard — bright red young shoots, on a 90 cm standard. The most colorful in spring, for a sunny position.
Leucothoes are the only ones that require acidic soil. Apart from Scarletta, they stay low: place them in front of or at the base of standard shrubs.
Light & location
It likes soft light and tolerates morning sun, which intensifies the red of the young shoots. The scorching afternoon sun, however, dries out its leaves in summer.
- Exposure: partial shade to shade, morning sun tolerated if the substrate stays moist.
- Location: east-facing terrace, north-facing balcony, entrance to the home, edge of a walkway.
- Hardiness in a pot: down to -20 °C — it stays outdoors in winter.
- Soil type: ericaceous compost, moist, humus-rich and well-drained — never chalky.
The more soft light it receives, the darker its winter purple becomes; in full shade, it stays green for longer.
Watering & care
Like all leucothoes, it needs moist, acidic soil: a substrate suited to ericaceous plants retains moisture without becoming waterlogged, while leaf tips turning brown in summer indicate that the pot has become too dry.
- Watering: regular — keep the substrate moist in spring and summer, watering less often in winter without letting it dry out.
- Water: preferably rainwater or low-lime water.
- Fertilizer: fertilizer for ericaceous plants, in spring.
- Pruning: light, after flowering — each cut encourages new burgundy-red shoots.
- Repotting: the following spring, into a slightly wider pot, using ericaceous compost.
A layer of pine bark mulch on top of the pot keeps the roots cool and slightly acidifies the substrate.
Decor ideas & plant pairings
Its winter purple provides a dark backdrop for the pale flowers of the cold season, especially on a balcony with little sun.
- For Christmas blooms, plant a 'Christmas Carol' Christmas rose alongside it — its pure white flowers stand out against the purple foliage from November to March.
- To brighten the base, plant a Carex 'Ice Dance' at the edge of the pot — its cream-colored edge contrasts with the burgundy leaves.
- For a contrast of textures, pair it with a Korean fern — its fine green fronds soften the smooth, glossy leaves.
- To enhance the pot, choose the Capi Nature Groove taupe pot — its light color makes the purple stand out, whereas a dark pot would dull it.
Its purple branches, cut in winter, last for several weeks in a vase and replace the foliage in a festive bouquet.
Verdeia tips
- Prune in May for a second flush of red: shortening a few branches just after flowering encourages new burgundy shoots to emerge in early summer.
- Don't worry about the purple color: foliage that darkens in autumn is a normal reaction to the cold, not a lack of water or a disease. It turns green again in spring.
- Give it as a Valentine's Day gift: its name and purple foliage in February make it a gift that lasts longer than a bouquet. Every occasion has its plant, depending on the meaning of gift plants.
Technical specifications
- Botanical name: Leucothoe keiskei 'Burning Love' ('Opstal50')
- Common name: Purple leucothoe
- Family: Ericaceae
- Origin: horticultural selection from Europe (the Netherlands), species native to Japan
- Dimensions on delivery: H45 cm | Pot Ø17 cm
- Habit: bushy, slightly arching branches
- Mature height: 60 to 75 cm tall, 40 to 50 cm wide
- Flowering: small white bell-shaped flowers in hanging clusters, in early summer
- Exposure: partial shade to shade
- Watering: regular, substrate always moist
- Soil type: ericaceous, acidic, humus-rich, and well-drained soil
- Hardiness: down to -20 °C
- Foliage: evergreen, smooth and glossy, burgundy then dark green, purple in winter
- Care: easy
- Toxicity: toxic if ingested by animals and children
- Decorative style: Graphic / Woodland / Patio
Each plant is unique: the proportion of red, green, and purple leaves naturally varies depending on the season and the light it receives.
Your plant, delivered with care
Every plant is hand-packed in a box specially designed for plants — secured, protected, ready to travel. It arrives in perfect condition, roots intact and foliage preserved, ready to take its place in your home.
Our Verdeia commitments
FAQ – Everything to know before adopting your Verdeia plant
How are my plants prepared before shipping?
All our plants are selected from our European partner nurseries. Before shipping, they are watered, cleaned, and protected with breathable, secure packaging. Each package is designed to ensure your plant arrives in perfect health, without any transport-related stress.
Will the plant look exactly like the photo?
The photos accurately represent the variety and the stated size. Since each plant is unique, slight differences in shape, foliage, or color may occur — and that’s part of their charm.
What are the delivery times and conditions?
Orders ship within 48 working hours, with tracked delivery in 2 to 5 working days via DPD. Shipping costs and the free-shipping threshold depend on your country — see our delivery page. You receive a tracking link as soon as your parcel leaves.
What should I do when my plant arrives?
Open your package as soon as you receive it and carefully remove the plant from its packaging. Let it acclimate for 24 hours in its new environment before watering. If it has been slightly stressed during transport, it will recover its shape after one or two days in the light.
What should I do if my plant arrives damaged?
Contact us within 48 hours with a photo of the issue. Our team will assess the situation and offer you the best solution: replacement, partial refund, or recovery advice.
Can I return a plant?
Since plants are living beings, standard returns are not possible. However, we guarantee good health upon delivery: if the plant arrives damaged, it will be replaced free of charge. For any other cases (order error, decorative pot, accessory), returns are possible within 14 days.