Purple and Burgundy Trees and Shrubs
One July, a few years after we had moved into our home, we pulled up the front driveway, and noticed something about our landscaping. Everything was just so… green. While that’s much better than everything being dead and brown, against the white house siding it just seemed so “blah”. After that, I became very conscious about the color scheme direction I wanted my landscaping to take. I started driving around and looking at other homes with beautiful landscaping, and I really loved how pinks, and especially purple and burgundy trees and shrubs really popped against homes with white siding, and lots of them do well in shade gardens as well.
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I started a slow collection of trees and shrubs that were in that purple and burgundy color scheme, and I really love how they stand out from the regular green landscaping. It also opened up to bring in plants and shrubs that were in the lime green family for contrast. Looking for some of these plants listed below, and indoor houseplants? Check out my page on Amazon.
The first purple/burgundy tree I planted was a Forest Pansy Redbud. It started as such a wee tree and now has beautiful, lofty branches. It starts with a burst of little pink redbuds on it’s branches, which give way to pretty, heart-shaped purples leaves. They change all season and by the end of summer the leaves have become green, just before they fall off. It really makes my back patio area.
After that I decided I found a Royal Raindrops flowering crab apple. It’s been a slow grower, but against our home, it really adds nice color. The pink flowers last a long time on the branches too, and in the winter, it has pretty, little apples that are almost berry-like that add interest even when there is snow on the ground.
Quickly after that we planted an El Diablo Ninebark. This has very pretty dark purpler serrated leaves and pink flowers. I love it for a vase filler too!
Our Smoke Bush is one of my favorites. I trimmed it at the base so it would take a more tree-like form. It has gorgeous oval purple leaves, and the flowers bloom into looking like “puffs of smoke”. I also think the leaves themselves have a eucalyptus-like scent which I love.
As a purple/burgundy landscaping plant, the Sand Cherry is pretty when it blooms in spring with tiny white flowers, and the leaves are a really deep burgundy. It gets to be aout 8 feet tall and wide in the right conditions. Supposedly it bears fruit, but we haven’t seen any yet. I have mine next to my bright green Hops vine. My one complaint is some pest finds it delicious, because the leaves are often nibbled on, and can be a little tattered looking.
My other favorite tree in our yard is a columnar European Beech tree. It has a straight up growth pattern, and while the old leaves are a deep burgundy, the new growth is a lovely, bright burgundy color. It’s been a slow grower, but worth every of inch.
Finally,as purple and burgundy tree and shrubs go, the Black Lace Elderberry is a great addition as a purple or burgundy shrub. I am sharing my neighbors with you because I moved mine later in the season last year, and he did not like that at all,hopefully it makes it and regains it’s former glory. If you are looking for a purple/burgundy low growing border plant, try Coral Bells. They come in all shades from purple, lime green and even warm oranges. I have quite a few varieties in my yard and I love not only how colorful they are, but how they are so easily divided.
One tree/shrub I am going to share with you in another post is my Tamarisk tree. it’s not technically purple or burgundy, but the flowers are a gorgeous pink/purple-ish tone, and it has a light, feathery leaf.
I hope this encourages you to add some color to your yard with purple and burgundy tress and shrubs. It’s a nice way to add color all season without worrying about flowers and bloom time, and many of them make really nice vase fillers!
If you liked this post, make sure you check out this one on shade gardening,
and this one on landscaping with grocery store hanging baskets
