Other Names:  Smoketree Spurge, Tropical Smoke Bush

Description:

A tropical shrub that is deciduous in temperate climates; upright, gray purplish stems hold stunning, coppery, reddish-purple leaves; flowers are not showy, but the pale yellow bracts stand out; best color in full sun; a great accent in coastal gardens

Ornamental Features

Caribbean Copper Plant features showy clusters of yellow flowers with buttery yellow bracts at the ends of the branches from late spring to mid summer. It has attractive burgundy-variegated coppery-bronze foliage with hints of purple which emerges red in spring. The textured oval leaves are highly ornamental but do not develop any appreciable fall color. The smooth khaki (brownish-green) bark and dark red branches are extremely showy and add significant winter interest.

Landscape Attributes

Caribbean Copper Plant is a multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

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.

Caribbean Copper Plant is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Caribbean Copper Plant will grow to be about 15 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 8 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, 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 does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This species is not originally from North America, and parts of it are known to be toxic to humans and animals, so care should be exercised in planting it around children and pets.

Caribbean Copper Plant makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Its large size and upright habit of growth lend it for use as a solitary accent, or in a composition surrounded by smaller plants around the base 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.