Leucothoe axillaris 'Curly Gold' (golden leucothoe) — H40 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
Shipping within 24/48 hours via DPD
- Delivery in 2 to 5 business days
- Eco-friendly packaging: recyclable boxes and biodegradable materials
- Special protection to ensure the plant arrives in perfect condition
- Parcel tracking sent by email as soon as shipped
- Free delivery on orders over €50
48H QUALITY GUARANTEE
We guarantee that your plants will arrive in perfect condition. If your plant arrives damaged or in poor condition:
- Contact us within 48 hours at hello@verdeia.eu with photos
- Free replacement or full refund
- No return necessary – we trust you
The guarantee covers: damage related to transport, severely weakened plant upon arrival, preparation errors.
CARE TIPS UPON ARRIVAL
To help your plant settle in for the long term:
- Unpack immediately and inspect your plant
- Let it acclimatize 24-48h in a bright spot without direct sunlight
- Check soil moisture before watering (dry surface = light watering)
- Wait 2-3 weeks before repotting
- Avoid heat sources and drafts
- Gently wipe leaves to remove dust
Need help? Contact our team at hello@verdeia.eu or via chat.
🍂 Curly foliage turning orangey, golden and then lime green • ✨ Glossy, twisted leaves • 🌼 White bells in April-May • 🌘 Partial shade to shade • ❄️ Hardy down to -18 °C • 🪴 Compact habit, ideal for a pot
Leucothoe axillaris 'Curly Gold' is a small evergreen shrub grown for its curly foliage, which changes colour throughout the seasons. A horticultural selection from Europe (the Netherlands) derived from a species native to the southeastern United States, it brings light to the catalogue's shade plants, where few shrubs retain such vivid colours.
Its 3 to 4 cm glossy, twisted leaves emerge orangey red in spring, turn golden and then lime green, so several shades coexist on the plant. In April-May, it bears small, slightly fragrant white bells. Its slow growth keeps it compact, reaching around 60 cm tall at maturity.
Which shrub with colourful foliage should you choose?
Ten evergreen shrubs from the catalogue, chosen for their foliage rather than their flowers:
- Leucothoe 'Curly Gold' (this plant) — curly golden and lime-green leaves, compact. The brightest in full shade.
- 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 'Burning Love' — smooth, narrow leaves, burgundy red in spring and purple in winter. The deepest purple, with an arching habit.
- 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 throughout the seasons.
- Japanese aralia 'Spider Web' — large palmate leaves speckled with white, for partial shade. The most exotic.
- Euonymus 'Emerald 'n' Gold' on a standard — small green-and-gold leaves, shaped into a ball on a 90 cm standard. The most structured, in sun or partial shade.
- Photinia 'Little Red Robin' on a 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 remain low-growing: place them in front of or at the base of standard-form shrubs.
Exposure & location
A woodland shrub in its native region, it grows easily in shade as long as its roots remain cool. Hot afternoon sun bleaches and dries out its leaves.
- Exposure: partial shade to shade; morning sun is acceptable if the substrate remains moist.
- Location: north- or east-facing balcony, shady courtyard, at the foot of a tree, or along the base of a wall.
- Hardiness in a pot: down to -18 °C — it can remain outdoors in winter.
- Soil type: heather soil, moist, rich in humus and well drained — never calcareous.
An hour or two of sun in the morning is enough to intensify the golden color; in full shade, the foliage becomes more lime green.
Watering & care
Its fine roots are just as sensitive to drying out as they are to limescale: a substrate suited to heather-soil plants retains moisture without becoming waterlogged, and a few days away in summer should be prepared for, as a pot that dries out completely will cause the leaves to turn brown.
- Watering: regular — keep the substrate moist in spring and summer, with more spaced-out watering in winter without letting it dry out.
- Water: rainwater or preferably non-limescale water.
- Fertilizer: fertilizer for heather-soil plants, in spring.
- Pruning: light pruning after flowering to remove damaged branches or maintain a rounded shape.
- Repotting: the following spring, into a slightly wider pot, using heather soil.
A pine bark mulch on top of the pot helps retain freshness and slightly acidifies the substrate.
Decor ideas & plant combinations
Its golden foliage brightens shady arrangements and pairs well with plants that enjoy the same acidic soil, particularly on a balcony with little sun.
- For a heather soil composition, pair it with the Camellia 'Nuccio's Gem' — they have the same needs for acidic soil and partial shade, while its late-winter white flowers stand out against the golden foliage.
- For winter flowering at its base, plant a Lenten Rose 'Double Ellen White' next to it — its white flowers from February to April take over when the foliage is at its greenest.
- For a contrast of textures, pair it with a Korean Fern — its dark green foliage and fine fronds highlight the golden, curly leaves.
- To enhance the pot, choose the anthracite Capi Nature Skin pot — the dark grey makes the golden colour appear brighter.
Planted in groups of three in a long planter, it forms a low golden hedge that dresses up a railing all year round.
Verdeia tips
- Watch the veins: leaves that turn yellow while retaining green veins indicate chlorosis caused by lime, not to be confused with the natural golden colour. Our article on yellow leaves and their causes helps you tell the difference.
- Prune it back if it becomes sparse: in spring, pruning one-third of the longest stems encourages new orange shoots from the base.
- Protect the pot from winter winds: dry, windy cold browns the evergreen foliage more than frost itself. Against a wall, it will survive the winter intact.
Technical specifications
- Botanical name: Leucothoe axillaris 'Curly Gold'
- Common name: Golden Leucothoe
- Family: Ericaceae
- Origin: horticultural selection from Europe (the Netherlands), species native to the southeastern United States
- Delivery dimensions: H40 cm | Pot Ø17 cm
- Habit: compact and bushy, slow-growing
- Mature height: approximately 60 cm tall, 40 to 50 cm wide
- Flowering: small, lightly scented white bells, in April-May
- Exposure: partial shade to shade
- Watering: regular, substrate always fresh
- Soil type: ericaceous, acidic, humus-rich and well-drained soil
- Hardiness: down to -18 °C
- Foliage: evergreen, curly and glossy, orange then golden and acid green
- Care: easy
- Toxicity: toxic if ingested by animals and children
- Decorative style: Graphic / Woodland / Terrace
Each plant is unique: the proportion of orange, golden, and green 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?
Shipping is done within 48 business hours, with tracked delivery within 2 to 5 business days. Delivery costs €5.60 — free for orders over €50. You will receive a tracking link as soon as the package is shipped.
What to do upon receiving my plant?
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 to 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.