Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Little Flames' (flame-patterned 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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Frequently Asked Questions
Can it be used to create a small hedge? Yes. Its compact, narrow growth habit, around 50 cm tall and 30 to 40 cm wide, allows you to line several up in a planter or along a border.
Does it need ericaceous soil? Yes. It does not tolerate lime: when planted in a pot, use ericaceous soil and preferably water it with rainwater.
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.
🔥 Flame-red tips in winter • 🍂 Coppery young leaves • 🌿 Glossy green in summer • 🌘 Partial shade to shade • ❄️ Hardy down to -20 °C • 🪴 Compact, narrow habit
Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Little Flames' is a small evergreen shrub whose branch tips blaze red when the cold arrives. European horticultural selection (the Netherlands), developed by Van Opstal nursery, it is part of the catalogue's mini shrubs designed for small spaces.
Its long, pointed leaves, 6 to 10 cm long, emerge coppery in spring before maturing to glossy green. In autumn and winter, the tips of the branches turn red and glossy purple, like small flames above the green foliage. In May, short clusters of lightly scented cream-white bells hang from the ends of the stems.
Which shrub with colourful foliage should you choose?
Ten evergreen shrubs from the catalogue, chosen for their foliage rather than their flowers:
- Leucothoe 'Little Flames' (this plant) — green leaves with flame-red tips in winter, coppery young shoots. The best suited to a small hedge.
- 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 '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, then 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.
- '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 exposure.
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 shrubs.
Exposure & location
Like other leucothoes, it grows naturally in damp woodland: it likes soft light, and its roots must stay cool. The scorching summer sun dries out its leaves.
- Exposure: partial shade to shade, with morning sun tolerated if the substrate stays moist.
- Location: a small north- or east-facing balcony, along a path, or in a planter along a railing.
- Hardiness in a pot: down to -20 °C — it can stay outside in winter.
- Soil type: ericaceous compost, moist, light, and well-drained — never calcareous or clayey.
The red tips are more vivid in a location that receives morning sun in winter.
Watering & care
It tolerates neither drought nor stagnant water: testing the substrate with your finger indicates when to water, and a few days away in summer should be planned so that the pot does not dry out.
- 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-calcareous water.
- Fertilizer: fertilizer for ericaceous plants, in spring.
- Pruning: light pruning after flowering to maintain a dense shape or line a small hedge.
- Repotting: the following spring, in a slightly wider pot, using ericaceous compost.
A layer of pine bark mulch on top of the pot helps retain moisture and slightly acidifies the substrate.
Decor ideas & plant combinations
Its red tips warm up winter arrangements: choosing its neighbors according to the exposure allows you to pair it with shade plants that bloom in the same season.
- For a winter planter, plant a 'Diamonfire' Christmas rose beside it — its cream-white clusters on red stems echo the red tips of the leucothoe from December to March.
- To brighten the base, plant a Carex 'Ice Dance' at the edge of the pot — its cream margin brightens the green foliage.
- For a contrast of textures, pair it with a Korean Fern — its fine fronds soften the long, pointed leaves.
- To enhance the pot, choose the Capi Nature Skin anthracite pot — the dark grey highlights the red tips in winter.
Planted three in a row in a 60 cm planter, they form a low evergreen hedge that turns red every winter.
Verdeia tips
- Don't worry about the winter red: this is a normal reaction to the cold, not a disease. The tips turn green again in spring when the new coppery shoots appear. Our guide to cold-hardy plants helps you create a winter balcony around it.
- For a dense hedge, pinch back in spring: shortening the tips of young shoots by a few centimetres encourages the plant to branch from the base.
- Protect the pot from dry winds: cold wind dries out evergreen foliage more than frost does. Against a wall or solid railing, it will make it through winter intact.
Technical specifications
- Botanical name: Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Little Flames'
- Common name: Flaming 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
- Growth habit: compact, dense and narrow
- Adult height: approximately 50 cm tall, 30 to 40 cm wide
- Flowering: short clusters of lightly scented cream-white bells, in May
- Exposure: partial shade to shade
- Watering: regular, keep the substrate moist at all times
- Soil type: ericaceous, acidic, humus-rich and well-drained soil
- Hardiness: down to -20 °C
- Foliage: evergreen, coppery then glossy green, red tips in winter
- Care: easy
- Toxicity: toxic to animals and children if ingested
- Decorative style: Graphic / Woodland / Terrace
Each plant is unique: the extent and intensity of the red tips naturally vary according to 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.