Purple Shrubs and Trees for Drama in the Garden

These colorful woodies provide excellent contrast and season-long interest

I wish to incorporate a lot ofcolorin my garden . While flowers are a big part of what provides that color , foliage can also act a large role . foliage in different spook of green , risque — and one of my favorite — purple , can be used to provide colorful interest group in the garden . Fortunately , we have some great purple shrubs and trees from which to choose . These plant do well in challenging conditions , such as juiceless , raging , or cheery areas , and they are wintertime intrepid as well . Here are some of my favorites .

Sucker Punch®chokecherry

Prunus virginiana‘P002S ’ , Zones 3–8Size:20 to 30 feet magniloquent and 18 to 20 ft wideConditions : Full sun to fond shade ; well - debilitate grime

Chokecherries are get laid for suckering , so when I first heard about a nonsuckering variety , I was disbelieving . After growing it for several geezerhood , I can attest that Sucker Punch ® chokecherry tree endure up to its name . The leaf set out the time of year as green before sprain a abstruse reddish purple that really stands out in the landscape . This chokecherry tree has clusters of white bloom in spring followed by dark fruit in late summer that can be used for electronic jamming and jellies — if you beat the birds to them !

Little Devil™ ninebark

Physocarpus opulifolius‘Donna May ’ , Zones 3–7Size:3 to 4 pes marvelous and wideConditions : Full sun ; moist , well - drained filth

Ninebarksare among my favorite bush , but most can get pretty prominent . Little Devil ™ is smaller than other variety , giving us more selection for utilization in a mixed border . Ninebarks are low - maintenance shrub . This one has finely textured , dark burgundy to empurple leaves that show off clusters of little pinkish - white flowers inlate saltation .

Black Lace®elderberry

Sambucus nigra‘Eva ’ , zona 4–7Size:6 to 8 metrical unit marvelous and wideConditions : Full sun ; medium grime

The lacy fatal - purple foliage of this shrub stands out in any garden excogitation . Do n’t be befool by the ticklish leaves ; this is a sturdy bush that does well in challenging climates . Clusters of pinkish flowers arrive inearly summerthat line nicely with the dark leaf . berry will form if you have another variety to pollinate it . The only maintenance I do on mine is topruneoff any deadwood after the flora begins to thumb out , as I line up that the bakshis can die back .

Winecraft Black®smokebush

Cotinus coggygria‘NCC01 ’ , Zones 4–8Size:4 to 6 feet tall and wideConditions : Full sun ; modal stain

I recently design a mixed shrub edge for work and was looking for a unique purple - foliaged bush that we currently do n’t have represent in our botanical garden . I love smokebush ( Cotinuscoggygria , Zones 4–8 ) but think it would be too large for the space until I found this particular variety . Winecraft Black ® has beautiful , rounded purple - black leaves that turn to shades of bolshy and orange in the fall . It also has sensational panicles of blooms that form that smokey upshot we all know and love . Plant it in full sunshine for the in effect color .

For more on imperial plants , check out :

And for more Mountain West regional reports , cluck here .

— Michelle Provaznik is executive conductor of the Gardens on Spring Creek in Fort Collins , Colorado .

Photos : Michelle Provaznik

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