People love purple plants

By Tim Wood  All rights reserved ©  Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc.

  Plants with colorful foliage have always been popular, but with the new found interest in COLOR,  these plants are in extremely high demand. The great thing about plants with attractive, colorful foliage is that they look showy, and have sales appeal regardless if they are in bloom or not. This is extremely important for perennials and flowering shrubs that normally bloom for only four weeks or less.  Foliage has also become increasingly important as garden centers look for impulse items to extend the selling season into summer and fall.

The "COLOR PURPLE", and "CRIMSON TIDE" are more than titles of popular movies, they represent colors that are adored if not coveted. These colors represent passion and who's against passion?  There are actually "Purple Stores" that sell only purple items; jewelry, clothing, coffee mugs etc. but only purple!  People love purple-red colors and their love extends to plants as well.  One need  only to drive through a local subdivision to see numerous examples. Crimson King Maple (Acer platinoides 'Crimson King'), Crimson  Pygmy Barberry (Berberis thunbergii var. atropurpurea 'Nana'), Purple Leaf Sand Cherry (Prunus x cistena) seem to be in every yard.  One might argue that these plants are overused, but you cannot deny that people love, demand, and buy purple leafed plants. As business people we are in the business of fulfilling customer needs. If we don't give customers what they want, we will not be business people for long. I must always remind myself that most consumers are not horticulturist. As a plantsmen I have different tastes in plants then the masses.  In trying to satisfy the consumer demand for purple, but in an effort to promote diversity in the landscape (a life-long mission of mine), I have listed some purple-leafed (burgundy) plants that might be of interest. Some are common, some are less common. I know you can think of more purple plants, so before your write to the editor to cry out "Tim forgot _____!".  "SORRY!". I don't get paid to write this column - so you got what you've pay for!

   Oh yes. Garden center owners, you might take a cue from the "purple store" and try a purple plant end-cap in your store. Perhaps a "purple sale", after all it sounds much better than a white sale.       

 SELECTED PERENNIALS WITH PURPLE OR RED FOLIAGE

Aguja reptans (cultivars) BRONZE-BURGUNDY -'Atropurpurea', 'Bronze Beauty', and 'Gaiety'

 Cimcifuga racemosa var. atropurpurea-  DARK PURPLE - Zone 3 to 8, 4-5' tall, towering white flower spikes in late summer, an outstanding, but hard to find plant

 Cimcifuga racemosa 'Brunette'-  BRONZE- PURPLE - Zone 3 to 8, 3-4' tall, towering white flower spikes in late summer, also hard to find but choice!

 Euphorbia dulcis 'Chameleon' - BURGUNDY - Zone 4 to 9, 15" tall, rounded plant with pale yellow flowers in summer. I love the look of this plant,

 Heuchera americana (cultivars) BRONZE to PURPLE -'Bressingham Purple', 'Cascade Dawn', 'Persian Carpet', 'Chocolate Ruffles', 'Chocolate Veil', 'Palace Purple', 'Ruby Ruffles',  'Velvet Night' (Don't ask me to differentiate them. Mostly Dan Heims introductions, so call him and see if he knows.)

 Penstemon digitalis 'Husker Red' - MAROON PURPLE - Zone 4-9, 12-28", upright clumps with white (very pale pink) flowers in mid-summer.

 Rheum palmatum 'Atrosanquineum' -(Ornamental Rhubarb) DARK PURPLE - Zone 4 to 7, 5-7' tall when in flower, truly remarkble plant.

 Sedum X 'Mohrchen' - DARK PURPLE - Zone 3 to 9, 18 to 24", upright growth babit, foliage is very dark and turns a ruby red in autumn, pink flowers in late summer.

 Sedum X 'Vera Jameson' - MAHOGANY-RED - Zone 3-9, 10-12", arching, weak stems, reddish-pink flowers in late summer.

SELECTED TREES AND SHRUBS WITH PURPLE OR RED FOLIAGE 

 Acer platanoides 'Crimson Sentry' - MAROON PURPLE - Zone 3 to 7, 15-25', tight columnar form, great for tight spaces, next to buildings, dense foliage.

 Acer palmatum (cultivars) - MAROON TO PURPLE - Zone 5(6) to 8, 6-25" depending upon variety and location, 'Atropurpureum' dark red leaves fade in summer,  'Bloodgood' one of the best for holding its color, 'Burgundy Lace' good color resists fading, fine lacy leaves, 'Garnet' similar to 'Burgundy Lace' but said to be hardier.

 Corylus maxima 'Purpurea' (purple leaf filbert)- DARK PURPLE - Zone 4 to 8, 15-20" but often grown as a shrub, deep purple color fades to a green purple in late summer, earlier in the south.

Cotinus coggygria (cultivars) -  MAROON PURPLE - Zone 4 to 8, 10-15', 'Royal Purple'  Dark purple, does not fade, 'Velvet Cloak' dark purple, resists fading, spectacular red fall color, 'Foliis Purpureais' green leaves with purple new growth.

 Fagus sylvatica (cultivars) - BRONZE TO DARK PURPLE - Zone 4 to 7, 50-60', 'Purpurea' copper purple, 'Riversii' dark purple wavy leaves, 'Dawyck Purple' columnar form with purple leaves, 'Purple Fountain' 12' tall slow growing, weeping habit, others.

 Hypericum androsaemum 'Albury Purple' - VELVETY PURPLE - Zone 6 to 8, 18-24", attractive purple cast especially to new growth, small yellow flowers in early summer.