Leucothoë fontanesiana (Steud.) Sleum.

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Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Leucothoë fontanesiana' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/leucothoe/leucothoe-fontanesiana/). Accessed 2024-10-12.

Genus

Leucothoë

Synonyms

L. catesbaei auct., not (Walt.) A. Gray
L. editorum Fern. & Schubert
Andromeda fontanesiana Steud.

Infraspecifics

Other taxa in genus

Glossary

corolla: The inner whorl of the perianth. Composed of free or united petals often showy.
axillary: Situated in an axil.
glabrous: Lacking hairs smooth. glabrescent Becoming hairless.
lanceolate: Lance-shaped; broadest in middle tapering to point.
lustrous: Smooth and shiny.
ovate: Egg-shaped; broadest towards the stem.

References

There are no active references in this article.

Credits

Article from Bean's Trees and Shrubs Hardy in the British Isles

Recommended citation
'Leucothoë fontanesiana' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.org/articles/leucothoe/leucothoe-fontanesiana/). Accessed 2024-10-12.

A very dense thicket of Leucothoe fontanesiana forming solid groundcover in Ray Wood, Castle Howard, North Yorkshire, UK, June 2022. In some years the elongating new shoots here are taken by Grey Squirrels to build their dreys. Image John Grimshaw.

An evergreen shrub 2 to 6 ft high, with slender, arching, zigzagged branches, which when young are reddish, and covered with a very short down. Leaves glabrous and leathery, narrowly lanceolate, 3 to 5 in. long, 1 to 11⁄2 in. wide, with a long tapering point, rounded or shortly tapered at the base, spine-toothed, dark lustrous green above, paler and with scattered hairs beneath; stalk 1⁄3 to 2⁄3 in. long. Flowers produced during May, crowded on axillary racemes 1 to 2 in. long, occasionally in panicles 3 in. long. Corolla 1⁄4 in. long, slenderly pitcher-shaped, white; sepals narrowly ovate, pointed; flower-stalks very short. Bot. Mag., t. 1955.

Native of mountainous regions in the south-eastern United States; introduced in 1793. When fully in blossom, a well-grown plant with its long arching branches, laden for 12 to 18 in. of their length with racemes, is decidedly handsome. But owing to the flowers being all produced on the lower side, the branch often requires elevating for its full beauty to be seen. During the flowering season it is worth while to elevate a few of the branches by means of forked sticks.

From the Supplement (Vol. V)

additional synonyms: Andromeda walteri Willd., nom. illegit.; L. walteri (Willd.) Melvin

Leucothoe fontanesiana 'Nana' forms a very dense and rather beautiful groundcover c. 50 cm tall – here in Ray Wood, Castle Howard, July 2020. Image John Grimshaw.

Leucothoe fontanesiana.

'Rainbow'

Leaves irregularly variegated with white; quite striking in early summer, when the young stems and petioles are crimson and the variegation pink. Raised in the USA and also known after its raiser as ‘Girard’s Rainbow’.

'Rollissonii'

A variety with smaller, narrower leaves, 2 to 4 in. long, {1/2} to {3/4} in. wide.

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