Dark Foliage > National Home Gardening Club

BY: NHGC

Purple, burgundy, and black foliage may be an afterthought to gardeners who love sparkling, sunny colors. Yet there are so many plants saturated with rich, dark color and intricate texture that it's tough to count them out of a garden design. Here's a list of more dark plants, including trees, that will add rich color to your garden.

ANNUALS, BULBS, RHIZOMES

Botanical name: Alternanthera dentata ‘Purple Knight'
Common name: alternanthera
Zone: Annual
Height: 16 to 20 inches
Light: Sun to part shade

Botanical name: Begonia x semperflorens hybrids
Common name: Begonia
Zone: Tender perennial
Height: 6 to 18 inches
Light: Shade

Botanical name: Canna indica ‘Purpurea'
Common name: Canna
Zone: Tender rhizome
Height: 5 to 7 feet
Light: Sun

Botanical name: Colocasia esculenta ‘Black Magic'
Common name: Black-leaf elephant ear
Zones: 7b to 10
Height: 5 feet tall
Light: Sun, part shade

Botanical name: Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff'
Common name: Dahlia
Zones: 7 to 8
Height: 4 feet tall
Light: Sun

Botanical name: Perilla frutescens var. crispa
Common name: Perilla
Zone: Annual
Height: 36 inches tall
Light: Sun, part shade

Botanical name: Strobilanthes dyerianus
Common name: Persian shield
Zone: Annual
Height: 48 inches tall
Light: Sun, part shade

PERENNIALS

Botanical name: Astilbe arendsii ‘Gloria Purpurea'
Common name: Astilbe
Zones: 4 to 8
Height: 24 inches
Light: Shade, part shade

Botanical name: Euphorbia dulcis ‘Chameleon'
Common name: Spurge
Zones: 5 to 7
Height: 12 inches
Light: Full sun to dappled shade

Botanical name: Heuchera micrantha var. diversifolia ‘Palace Purple'
Common name: Coral bell, alum root
Zones: 4 to 8
Height: 24 inches
Light: Sun, part shade

Botanical name: Pennisetum setaceum ‘Purpureum'
Common name: Fountain grass
Zones: 8 to 11
Height:5 feet
Light: Sun

TREES AND SHRUBS

Botanical name: Acer palmatum f. atropurpureum ‘Burgundy Lace'
Common name: Japanese maple
Zones: 6 to 8
Height: 10 feet
Light: Sun, part shade

Botanical name: Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea ‘Crimson Pygmy'
Common name: Barberry
Zones: 4 to 8
Height: 2 feet
Light: Sun, part shade

Botanical name: Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy'
Common name: Eastern redbud
Zones: 4 to 9
Height: 30 feet
Light: Sun, part shade

Botanical name: Cotinus coggygria f. purpureus ‘Royal Purple'
Common name: Smoke bush
Zones: 5 to 8
Height: 12 to 15 feet
Light: Sun

Botanical name: Malus ‘Thunderchild'
Common name: Crabapple
Zones: 4 to 8
Height: 15 to 20 feet
Light: Sun

Botanical name: Sambucus nigra ‘Gerda'
Common name: Elder
Zones: 4 to 8
Height: 8 to 12 feet
Light: Sun, part shade

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Current Articles \| Archives \| Search Dark Foliage BY: NHGC 0 Purple, burgundy, and black foliage may be an afterthought to gardeners who love sparkling, sunny colors. Yet there are so many plants saturated with rich, dark color and intricate texture that it's tough to count them out of a garden design. Here's a list of more dark plants, including trees, that will add rich color to your garden. ANNUALS, BULBS, RHIZOMES Botanical name: Alternanthera dentata ‘Purple Knight' Common name: alternanthera Zone: Annual Height: 16 to 20 inches Light: Sun to part shade Botanical name: Begonia x semperflorens hybrids Common name: Begonia Zone: Tender perennial Height: 6 to 18 inches Light: Shade Botanical name: Canna indica ‘Purpurea' Common name: Canna Zone: Tender rhizome Height: 5 to 7 feet Light: Sun Botanical name: Colocasia esculenta ‘Black Magic' Common name: Black-leaf elephant ear Zones: 7b to 10 Height: 5 feet tall Light: Sun, part shade Botanical name: Dahlia ‘Bishop of Llandaff' Common name: Dahlia Zones: 7 to 8 Height: 4 feet tall Light: Sun Botanical name: Perilla frutescens var. crispa Common name: Perilla Zone: Annual Height: 36 inches tall Light: Sun, part shade Botanical name: Strobilanthes dyerianus Common name: Persian shield Zone: Annual Height: 48 inches tall Light: Sun, part shade PERENNIALS Botanical name: Astilbe arendsii ‘Gloria Purpurea' Common name: Astilbe Zones: 4 to 8 Height: 24 inches Light: Shade, part shade Botanical name: Euphorbia dulcis ‘Chameleon' Common name: Spurge Zones: 5 to 7 Height: 12 inches Light: Full sun to dappled shade Botanical name: Heuchera micrantha var. diversifolia ‘Palace Purple' Common name: Coral bell, alum root Zones: 4 to 8 Height: 24 inches Light: Sun, part shade Botanical name: Pennisetum setaceum ‘Purpureum' Common name: Fountain grass Zones: 8 to 11 Height:5 feet Light: Sun TREES AND SHRUBS Botanical name: Acer palmatum f. atropurpureum ‘Burgundy Lace' Common name: Japanese maple Zones: 6 to 8 Height: 10 feet Light: Sun, part shade Botanical name: Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea ‘Crimson Pygmy' Common name: Barberry Zones: 4 to 8 Height: 2 feet Light: Sun, part shade Botanical name: Cercis canadensis ‘Forest Pansy' Common name: Eastern redbud Zones: 4 to 9 Height: 30 feet Light: Sun, part shade Botanical name: Cotinus coggygria f. purpureus ‘Royal Purple' Common name: Smoke bush Zones: 5 to 8 Height: 12 to 15 feet Light: Sun Botanical name: Malus ‘Thunderchild' Common name: Crabapple Zones: 4 to 8 Height: 15 to 20 feet Light: Sun Botanical name: Sambucus nigra ‘Gerda' Common name: Elder Zones: 4 to 8 Height: 8 to 12 feet Light: Sun, part shade Comments There are currently no comments, be the first to post one. Post Comment Only registered users may post comments.