Description
Leycesteria Fromosa Purple Rain or Himalayan honeysuckle Purple Rain is an original and decorative shrub, which offers remarkable flowering and fruiting. It belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family and is native to Asia, where it grows in mountainous regions. It owes its name to William Leycester, an English magistrate passionate about botany, a name dedicated by Nathaniel Wallich who described the genus in 1824.
Himalayan honeysuckle Purple Rain is a shrub which is distinguished from the standard variety by its purple branches. Its hollow and rigid stems arch with age. Its leaves, purple when budded, are oval, ribbed with purple and a beautiful bluish green, often edged with purple. From July to October, it is covered with pendulous clusters of white flowers surrounded by deep purple bracts. These bracts are darker than those of the type variety and contrast with the white of the flowers. The flowers are followed by spherical, shiny, purple berries, which turn black when ripe. These berries are very popular with birds, notably blackbirds and thrushes, but also pheasants.
Leycesteria Fromosa Purple Rain is a medium-sized shrub, which can reach 1.50 to 2 meters high and 1.50 meters wide. It is hardy down to -20°C and tolerates frost well. It likes cool, fertile and well-drained soils, as well as a sunny or partially shaded exposure.
Planting Himalayan honeysuckle Purple Rain is preferably done in spring, spacing the plants 80 cm to 1 meter apart. It is necessary to water regularly the first summer, then in case of drought the following years. Light pruning after flowering helps maintain a compact and dense shape, but this is to the detriment of fruiting. You can also cut the stems back to ground level at the end of winter to promote the vigor of the plant. Often the intense frost can roast the stems, but they come back from the stump in the spring without problem. In the fall, cover the stump with at least 15 cm of mulch.
Leycesteria Fromosa Purple Rain is a shrub that finds its place in flowerbeds, free hedges or mixed borders. It brings a touch of colour to the garden, especially in autumn when its fruits stand out against the foliage. It can also be grown in a pot on a terrace or balcony.
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