Plant Library

Other Names:  Willow Cone Bush

Description:

This multi-stemmed shrub has bright red emerging foliage in spring and summer, before fading to pale green; long lasting flower bracts emerge deep purple, maturing to red with cream highlights; avoid phosphorous fertilizers; great color for dry gardens

Ornamental Features

Blush Conebush features showy red flowers with chartreuse eyes and deep purple bracts at the ends of the branches from mid winter to mid spring. The flowers are excellent for cutting. It has attractive grayish green foliage edged in red with hints of chartreuse which emerges red in spring. The narrow leaves are highly ornamental and remain grayish green throughout the winter. The brick red branches add an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Blush Conebush is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Blush Conebush is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Blush Conebush will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers dry to average moisture levels with very well-drained soil, and will often die in standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is particular about its soil conditions, with a strong preference for poor, alkaline soils. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Blush Conebush makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. With its upright habit of growth, it is best suited for use as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.