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Leptospermum 'Dark Shadows' - A fast growing shrub or multi-trunked small tree that reaches up to 15 feet tall by 20 feet wide with dark rough gray bark. Although attractive in flower, the most stunning aspect of this plant is its foliage. It has flexible sprays of 1 inch long soft dark olive-green leaves that are flushed a dark burgundy maroon. This color is especially pronounced in the outer edges of the canopy where they receive full sun. In the summer on new growth are produced the fragrant creamy white 3/4 inch wide flowers.
Plant in full sun and water little to occasionally. Tolerant to short duration temperatures down to 20°F to 25°F. Is drought and seashore tolerant and resistant to deer predation.
Leptospermum 'Dark Shadows' is reportedly a 2nd generation seedling from a seedling of Leptospermum macrocarpum 'Copper Spray' (also known as L. nitidum 'Copper Sheen'). Leptospermum macrocarpum is a large-fruited species endemic to the Blue Mountains in New South Wales. The name for the genus is a Latinized Greek compound from 'leptos' meaning slender and 'spermum' meaning "seed" in reference to the small seeds and the specific epithet comes from the ancient Greek words 'makros' meaning "long" and and 'karpos' meaning "fruit". This plant has similar look to and is sometimes confused with the red leafed Peppermint Tree Agonis flexuosa 'Jervis Bay Afterdark'. We have grown this attractive plant since 2003 from stock plants originally purchased from Monterey Bay Nursery.
The information displayed on this page about Leptospermum 'Dark Shadows' is based on the research we have conducted about it in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about this plant as it grows in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant have performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we have received from others and welcome hearing from anyone with information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information that will aid others to better grow it.
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