Leucothoe axillaris 'Curly Red' (red 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.
❤️ Bright red curly young shoots • 🌿 Glossy dark green in summer, purple in winter • 🌼 White bells in April-May • 🌘 Partial shade to shade • ❄️ Hardy to -15 °C • 🪴 Compact habit, ideal in a pot
Leucothoe axillaris 'Curly Red' is a small evergreen shrub with curly foliage that changes colour each season. A horticultural selection from Europe (the Netherlands), developed by the Van Opstal nursery, it brings colour all year round to partially shaded corners, without relying on flowering.
In spring, its curly young shoots emerge bright red, then mature to a dark, glossy green. In autumn, the foliage turns red, and in winter it takes on deep purple tones. In April-May, small, slightly fragrant white bells appear beneath the leaves. Its slow growth keeps it compact, at around 50 to 60 cm tall.
Which shrub with colourful foliage should you choose?
Ten evergreen shrubs from the catalogue, chosen for their foliage rather than their flowers:
- Leucothoe 'Curly Red' (this plant) — curly red leaves in spring, dark green in summer, purple in winter. The most changeable through the seasons.
- 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, purple in winter. The deepest purple, with an arching habit.
- Leucothoe 'Colour Diamond' — coppery young shoots followed by green leaves edged in cream, 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 Gold' — curly golden and acid-green leaves, compact. The brightest in full shade.
- Japanese aralia 'Spider Web' — large palmate leaves speckled with white, for partial shade. The most exotic.
- 'Emerald 'n' Gold' spindle on a 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' 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. Except for Scarletta, they remain low-growing: place them in front of or at the base of standard-form shrubs.
Exposure & location
A woodland shrub native to the southeastern United States, it grows easily in the shade as long as its roots stay cool. Afternoon sun dries out its leaves in summer.
- Exposure: partial shade to shade, morning sun tolerated if the substrate stays moist.
- Location: north- or east-facing balcony, shaded courtyard, base of a tree, house entrance.
- Hardiness in a pot: down to -15 °C — it can remain outdoors in winter, sheltered from cold winds.
- Soil type: ericaceous compost, moist, humus-rich, and well-drained — never calcareous.
Cold intensifies the winter purple: a spot exposed to cool air but sheltered from the wind produces the deepest colors.
Watering & care
Its fine roots must never dry out: testing the substrate with your finger twice a week in summer is enough to identify the right time, and browning leaf tips indicate that the pot has stayed too dry or received too much sun.
- Watering: regular — keep the substrate consistently moist in spring and summer, watering less frequently in winter without letting it dry out.
- Water: rainwater or preferably limescale-free water.
- Fertilizer: fertilizer for ericaceous plants, in spring.
- Pruning: light, after flowering, to maintain a rounded shape — each cut triggers new red shoots.
- Repotting: the following spring, in a slightly wider pot, using ericaceous compost.
A pine bark mulch on top of the pot keeps the soil cool and slightly acidifies the substrate.
Decor ideas & plant combinations
Its spring red and winter purple make it a colorful backdrop for shade plants: choosing neighbors according to exposure makes it possible to combine plants with the same needs.
- For an ericaceous soil composition, pair it with the Camellia 'Nuccio's Gem' — they have the same acidic soil requirements, and its late-winter white flowers stand out against the purple foliage.
- For Christmas flowering, plant a Christmas rose 'Christmas Carol' beside it — its pure white flowers open when the leucothoe takes on its winter colours.
- To brighten the base, plant a Carex 'Ice Dance' at the edge of the pot — its cream edging brightens the dark green of summer.
- To enhance the pot, choose the taupe Capi Nature Groove pot — its warm shade complements the red and purple without competing with them.
Paired with 'Curly Gold' in the same planter, it creates a red and gold contrast in spring, and purple and acid green in winter.
Verdeia tips
- Prune to bring back the red: red shoots appear after each pruning. Shortening a few branches in May, after flowering, encourages a second flush of young, colourful leaves.
- Protect the pot from winter winds: below -15 °C or in freezing winds, move it closer to a wall or wrap the pot in winter protection fleece. Our guide to cold-hardy plants will help you create a winter balcony.
- Don't worry about the purple colour: foliage that darkens in winter is a normal reaction to the cold, not a sign of disease. It turns green again in spring.
Technical specifications
- Botanical name: Leucothoe axillaris 'Curly Red'
- Common name: Red Leucothoe
- Family: Ericaceae
- Origin: horticultural selection from Europe (the Netherlands), species native to the southeastern United States
- Dimensions on delivery: H40 cm | Pot Ø17 cm
- Habit: compact and bushy, slow-growing
- Adult height: 50 to 60 cm
- Flowering: small, slightly fragrant white bells, in April-May
- Exposure: partial shade to shade
- Watering: regular, substrate always moist
- Soil type: ericaceous, acidic, humus-rich and well-drained soil
- Hardiness: down to -15 °C
- Foliage: evergreen, curly and glossy, red then dark green, purple in winter
- Care: easy
- Toxicity: toxic to animals and children if ingested
- Decorative style: Graphic / Woodland / Patio
Each plant is unique: the proportion of red shoots and the intensity of its winter purple naturally vary 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.