Leafscape™ Little Flames Leucothoe

Light Needs

Part Shade to Part Sun

(3-6 Hours Direct Sun)

Mature Height

1-2 Feet

Mature Spread

6-11 Inches

Growing Zones

6 to 9

Leafscape™ Little Flames Leucothoe is a perfectly shaped evergreen shrub for adding structure and color during the bleakest winter months. The sturdy foliage turns shades of fiery red and orange late in the fall, holding color until the weather warms in the spring. The creamy white flowers on long branches appear just as the leaves begin to green up for the spring and summer. Leucothoe fontanesiana ‘Little Flame’ gives lots of pleasure while requiring surprisingly little effort to look its best. 

Little Flames is fully evergreen in USDA growing zones 6-9 and performs best with cool fall and winter seasons. Deer rarely browse on the leathery, tough leaves. Little Flames is highly disease resistant and drought tolerant at maturity. The mounded growth habit does not grow past 2 feet tall or wide, making this a great accent for small spaces in the garden or for containers on a patio or deck. Little Flames looks best planted in large groups at the front of a garden bed, where the color can be appreciated through the winter. 

Little Flames Leucothoe Care

Leucothoes develop drought tolerance but display the best seasonal color when they receive consistent moisture. Mulch this shrub with organic material such as compost, shredded leaves, or finely shredded arborist chips through the summer. Leucothoe prefers acidic soil but will tolerate a neutral pH. Choose a location that protects the plants from hot sun during the middle of the day. Ideally, 6 hours of direct sun either early or late in the day is enough for good growth. 

Little Flames only requires light pruning to retain its naturally mounded shape. The best time for any pruning is after the flowers finish in the spring. Also look to remove any dead, dying, damaged, or diseased branches left from the winter. Leucothoe does not grow well when kept sheared into topiary or formal hedging. 

Cuttings root easiest from softwood cuttings taken early in the summer after flowering has ended. Allow the cuttings to grow in flats or pots until planting out the following spring. 

Little Flames Leucothoe Spacing

Providing plenty of space between Leucothoe plants ensures that fungal and mildew diseases are not a problem in the landscape. Space plants 18 inches apart from each plant center to establish a dense planting or low-growing hedge. Grow Leucothoe in a container with at least a 12-inch diameter and excellent drainage.

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