Eupatorium Chocolate

Sjmarq, I looked up Eupatorium chocolate and it is beautiful! I hadn't heard of it before. I love purple and white together. Might have to find a spot for it in my yard...

Speaking of favorites, one of my LEAST favorites was a variety Maltese Cross with purplish leaves. It was sent to me accidentally, but I decided to plant it because the foliage was pretty.

To my horror, a huge, ugly orangy-red flower appeared on the top of this beautiful foliage. The contrast was striking but soooo not to my liking. Red and purple together are okay, as is orange and purple, but this neon orangy-red was hyper!

As soon as I could, I replaced it with cimicifuga.

Smokebush! I have five of them.

Kitchenkelly,

What variety do you have? Do you get die back over the winter? I'd love to have a few but wasn't sure how much they liked zone 4.

Canna 'Australia', Hibiscus 'Maple Sugar', and Euphorbia cotinifolia. Love them with orange.

Hi trinityklm, I am so sorry that I don't know the varieties. I think my big one is Grace? I haven't had any die back at all. I prune the one by the garage like crazy because it grows so well. One of the big ones in my backyard goes crazy! I have never trimmed it and it will probably be 12 feet tall this year. FYI, my yard is fenced (6 ft cedar) so that probably helps in the backyard.)

BTW, great idea for a thread.

We had a Persian Shield (Strobilanthes - don't know the subtype) that grew to a huge size in one summer in Madison.

Here is a link that might be useful: Wikipedia entry on Persian Shield

Cimicifuga 'Hillside Black Beauty' has darker foliage than 'Brunette' and it seems to stay dark even in shade. Heuchera 'Obsidian' also stays dark in shade. I also like sedum 'Purple Emperor' or 'Xenox'.

It's an annual but I like the purple basil. I grow it every year as an accent plant in my containers, baskets and gardens. Easy to start from seed and adds a nice contrast to the everyday greenery.

Many of the Thalictrum species (Meadow Rue) have purplish stems and foliage, particularly the giant ones like "Blackstockings" for dark purple and "Elin" for a lighter bluish purple.

-Marie

Thanks for sharing your favorites. I'd love to hear more. I've enjoyed looking them all up. I have some new items on my wish list!

How about heuchera Obsidian, or salvia Purple Knockout? Their foliage is really brightening up my garden right now.

And while it's not exactly purple, penstemon Husker Red is awfully pretty right now as well.

Can someone tell me where you find Salvia Purple Knockout? I have looked at a couple of local nurseries websites and have not been able to find it. I know Bluestone has it but would rather buy a plant I can see.

Gerten's??? Lindners?

Thanks, JR

Last year Home Depot carried the Purple Knockout salvia. Don't know if they have it again this spring.

I bought my Purple Knockout last year at Thomsen's in central MN -- not much help if you live in the metro, sorry.

I'm pretty sure they don't have it at the Linder's tent in Monticello, and Steve's Nursery in Elk River doesn't have anything right now, so they definitely don't have that one either.

I'll keep my eyes peeled for you, though!

Thanks for the suggestions of where to find purple knockout. Will have to keep my eyes open wherever I go. It is a beauty!

JR

How about the Charmed wine variety of oxalis? Or the purple varieties of sweet potato vine? Or the purple variety of sage?