Leucothoe Lovita ('Zebonard')
dog hobble [Lovita]
A spreading, evergreen shrub with glossy, ovate leaves, flushed with red in spring and summer and turning bronze in the autumn and winter. Sprays of small white, bell-shaped flowers in spring.
Synonyms
Leucothoe 'Zebonard'Leucothoe saxatalis 'Lovita'
see moreLeucothoe fontanesiana 'Lovita'
Leucothoe walteri Lovita
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Size
Ultimate height
0.5–1 metresTime to ultimate height
5–10 yearsUltimate spread
1–1.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Poorly–drainedpH
Acid, NeutralColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | White | Red Green | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Green Red | |||
| Autumn | Bronze Red | |||
| Winter | Green Bronze |
Position
- Full shade
- Partial shade
Aspect
North–facing or East–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Ericaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Habit
- Spreading branched, Bushy
- Genus
Leucothoe can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs with simple, leathery leaves and racemes or panicles of small bell- or urn-shaped flowers
- Name status
Trade
How to grow
Cultivation
Grow in moisture retentive, fertile, neutral to acid soil, in full shade or partial shade
Propagation
Propagate by semi-ripe cuttings using bottom heat
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- City and courtyard gardens
- Cottage and informal garden
- Low Maintenance
- Flower borders and beds
- Wall side borders
Pruning
Pests
Generally pest-free
Diseases
May be susceptible to honey fungus in gardens where it is present but insufficient data to determine degree of susceptibility
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