Great plants with burgundy foliage  by Dave & Cathy Cummins, April 25 2000

When we started gardening, our main focus in plant material was the flower--- what color?---- when did it bloom? Over the years we began to appreciate plants with lovely foliage that look good all season----a progression that we suspect all gardeners go through.

Plants with burgundy foliage give wonderful contrast and drama to an otherwise totally green area. They are becoming increasingly popular and with good reason! We’ve listed some of our favorites, in no particular order:

Euphorbia dulcis ‘Chameleon’ We saw this at Longwood Gardens for the first time and decided we had to have it! About 18 in. high, it grows in a mounded form and likes semi shade and average well drained soil. The foliage is a gorgeous burgundy and flowers are greenish yellow with a purple tint .

Cimicifuga ramosa ‘Brunette’ Exotic purple/black leaves contrast beautifully with the fragrant off white flower spikes and make this impossible to resist! Good for late summer and fall interest. About 5 or 6 ft. tall, prefers moist , rich soil and partial shade.

Eupatorium rugosum ‘Chocolate’ Dark purple/bronze foliage which becomes green in the fall when white flowers appear. Grows 3 to 4 ft. in a bushy mound, likes moist to average well drained soil and partial shade.

Lysimachia ciliata ‘Firecracker’ When new foliage appears in spring it’s almost black! The leaves become purple/bronze and make a wonderful contrast with the yellow flowers that appear in summer. It can be aggressive so plant it in a large container (with the bottom removed) sunk in the garden. Grows about 3 ft. and likes rich moist soil in sun or part shade.

Finally we are trying a new deciduous shrub Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diablo’. This is a member of the Ninebark family and looks like it could be much more interesting than the rest of the family. The foliage is an attractive burgundy -----someone told me they planted red dahlias with it and the effect was wonderful! Our shrub is only a foot tall so we have to wait a while to pass judgment but it looks promising.