| What would be a good plant to put in a large pot that grows 4-5 feet tall. Preferred color is dark red to maroon with the color intensifying in winter. Thank you Bob Bremner |
| There are a number of plants with burgundy foliage from which to choose: Two burgundy-foliage barberries are available; crimson pygmy Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii ?Crimson Pygmy?) and redleaf Japanese barberry (B. thunbergii ?Atropurpurea?). ?Crimson Pygmy? is a diminutive grower only reaching about 2? tall and 3-4? wide. This dense growing selection produces deep maroon leaves when grown in full sun. The barberry cultivar ?Atropurpurea? has dark purple foliage like ?Crimson Pygmy? but gets much taller at maturity, reaching about 6? tall and wide. If you?re looking for something with a little more pizzazz give ?Rose Glow? Japanese barberry a try. The new growth emerges rose-pink splotched with reddish purple. The older foliage turns deep maroon and makes a great background for the new ?glowing? leaves. The plant grows to about 5-6? tall. Weigela florida ?Alexandra?, better known by its trademark name of Wine & Roses, offers beautiful rosy flowers and gorgeous glossy, deep burgundy foliage throughout the growing season. The plant will perform best in full sun or part shade in a well-drained soil and grows 4-5? tall and wide. You may have to search a bit to find this one, but it will be worth the effort. 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. Rheum palmatum 'Atrosanquineum' -(Ornamental Rhubarb) DARK PURPLE - Zone 4 to 7, 5-7' tall when in flower, truly remarkable plant. 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. Physocarpus ?Summer Wine? - a new compact ninebark that is the result of a cross between nana and Diabolo. Hope these suggestions are helpful. |
