Leucothoe Lovita Doghobble

Leucothoe Lovita is a spreading evergreen shrub with glossy red – bronze leaves and white flowers in spring. It’s a good choice for full to partial shade and acidic soils.

Leucothoe is a species of evergreen flowering shrubs that are native to Asia and the Americas where they are often called Doghobble. The Lovita cultivar was bred in Ohio, America in the mid-1980s. Leucothoe Lovita is primarily bought for its spreading evergreen leaves that emerge glossy red and mature to bronze in late autumn. The glossy leaves are ovate and numerous, covering the elegant upright stems. Attractive sprays of white flowers bloom in spring. The flowers are bell-shaped and tiny but much loved by pollinators.

Height And Spread of Leucothoe Lovita
Leucothoe Lovita will grow no taller than a metre high and will spread over 1 – 1.5 metres in 5 -10 years.

How Hardy Is Leucothoe Lovita
Hardy in most areas of the UK and able to withstand sub-zero temperatures if the roots are well drained. Few pests bother Leucothoe.

How To Use Leucothoe Lovita
Great for foliage gardens as its red-bronze leaves bring a tough of colour to a swathe of green. It also suits shady gardens and wildlife friendly spaces as its evergreen foliage provides coverage for birds, insects, and exposed soils.

Leucothoe Lovita will grow in a shady border, a slope, a gravel garden and in containers that are well-watered and fed. It’s a versatile shrub that gives balance to cottage gardens and structure to architectural urban spaces.

How To Care For Leucothoe Lovita
Leucothoe Lovita is an acid loving plant similar to rhododendrons and does not thrive in alkaline soils. It enjoys full shade to partial shade in consistently moist soil in a sheltered or exposed aspect.

There is no need to prune Leucothoe Lovita unless you want to maintain a shape and size.

Mulch each year with an acid-based mulch such as bracken and water well until established. Extra water in very dry spells will help maintain plant health.