Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Scarletta' (Leucothoe)

Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Scarletta' is a cultivar of highland doghobble, a small, native, slow-growing, evergreen shrub found through much of the mid-Atlantic. The 'Scarletta' cultivar is noted for its slightly compact size and its striking red-tinted foliage. While much of the plant's foliage takes on lustrous dark green colors occasionally tinted with red, new growth and cold weather both take on gorgeous wine-red to plum-purple hues.

'Scarletta' has a mounding, compact, gracefully arching growth habit as small as 2' tall and as tall as about 5'. The plant's softly sweeping branches occasionally drape and spread up to 5-6' wide, and Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Scarletta' is easily grown in part to full shade making this shrub highly desirable for shade gardens with its low-maintenance, high-appeal style. In spring, drooping clusters of white flowers dangle underneath the stunning foliage, attracting a number of different pollinators. In the fall, dark plum purple foliage adds even more multi-season interest.