Fetterbush, Florida Leucothoe, Coast Leucothoe

I absolutely love this tree. (Yes, I consider it a legitimate tree or large shrub rather than a mere bush or plant.) For some reason, it'...Read Mores almost impossible to find for sale, even here in the Southeast U.S., its home range. (I got mine in 2014 at a Parkway Partners plant sale in New Orleans.) Imagine a blueberry bush, but about two to three times taller, with gracefully pendant stems, glossy leaves, and clusters of bell-shaped white flowers in spring. After planting mine under my live oak (Quercus virginiana), I found it enjoys almost full shade, but my neighbor cut down a massive water oak next to my oak, exposing my leucothoe to far more sun than before, but it hasn't missed a beat or changed leaf color at all, so it seems quite adaptable to varying light conditions. Mine has rocketed to about 7 feet high, so this site's maximum height listing needs to be adjusted upwards. I presume specimens grown in shade will have a tendency to "stretch" upwards towards light more than ones planted in full sun. The way the stems / trunks go upwards and gently cascade down is quite zenlike. This tree is so great that the only slight negative I can mention is its habit of retaining old branches, giving it (inaccurately) a sickly look; I simply snap them off by hand a few times a year and drop on the ground as free mulch.
I believe there is at least one of these growing at New Orleans Botanical Garden and at least one at Longue Vue Garden (both in NOLA), but I'll have to confirm that the next time I swing by those places.
Overall, this is certainly in my top 10 list of Southeastern U.S. native species, along with weeping yaupon holly, pond cypress, various blueberries, Yucca recurvifolia, Shumard oak, dwarf palmetto, etc.
(Note: I also have Agarista populifolia 'Leprechaun' catalogued on this site, but I'm not sure if I have planted it or not.)

Easy to grow here in Eastern Maryland (zone 7). They smell great when blooming and can be trimmed into a large shrub or small tree. The ...Read Morelast 2 winters here have had record breaking cold weather and each of mine were completely flawless with lows below 5F on many nights. In my experience, this plant also keeps its green leaf color in winter much better than other Leucothoes, which typically turn purple/red in cold weather. Its also a Southeastern USA native.

Have grown this plant for 15 years under the most difficult conditions in hot humid West Tennessee.

A must to add to droug...Read Moreht tolerant plants. Ours have spread 6 to 8 feet tall as wide.

Great plant a lot less picky than Leucothoe axillaris especially the rainbow hybrids.

While not as pretty as it's cousin, the rainbow leucothoe, this little plant is still a nice little addition to the garden. Prunes easil...Read Morey, can be kept at whatever size you wish. Creates a nice backdrop for other flowers. Grows fine here in zone 5 with little care. I have mine in a moist well drained garden soil that is sheltered from the hot afternoon sun. For more information, see my notes under rainbow leucothoe.