Dodonaea Viscosa ‘Purpurea’ (Purple Hop Bush)

A half hardy to tender evergreen shrub found throughout the world, temperate and tropical regions alike but generally in the warmer spots. Don’t let this ubiquity put you off, for while this shrub is not rare it is a very desirable and beautiful plant.

Given its extensive distribution and being found all the way across Africa, Asia and Oceania and the Americas, it can be very variable in habit. We grow it as a large shrub or small tree, generally. It has the rather nice quality of being a proper shrub in a big space, but when planted in smaller gardens it can tip into the ‘small tree’ sort of category and will bring the same shape, impact and atmosphere into a more bijou setting.

The claret-red glossiness of the leaves make a powerful statement as a specimen, which is how we would recommend growing it. Since they are not always reliably hardy it would be prudent to pot them unless you have a London patch or reside in a mild coastal suntrap.

On the subject of leaves, as foliage fetishists we’re known to pay close attention to such things and strive to grow and supply a wide range of plants with the loveliest ones. These are especially yummy, having the high shine and gelatin-richness of a blackcurrant wine gum from far away, and with a prettily wavy margin to each leaf when you get up close. Each purple-red leaf has a distinct but delicate tracery of fine veins and are held proudly upright along slender stems. The flowers are small, green and insignificant; the papery flowers have a pink tinge.

Grow this in pots so it can be overwintered indoors against a south or west facing wall, or in full sun in London or coastal positions where it could reach 3 x 3 metres over 10 years. Happy in most moist but well drained soils.

N.B. When clipping several plants with the same tool, have a bucket containing a 5% bleach solution and swish your blades around for 30 seconds between plants to sterilise them. This will help avoid the chance of cross contamination of disease.

As with all woody plants, plant high, exposing as much of the taper at the base of the trunk as possible. Allowing soil to accumulate round the base of a tree can be fatal. Keep very well watered when first planted.