Coprosma Evening Glow

Coprosma 'Evening Glow' is a small evergreen bush with changing colours, magnified by a very shiny texture. Originally from New Zealand, it is tender, but drought-resistant and very tolerant of sea spray. Its pretty variegated leaves are almost sparkling green and change colour throughout the seasons, adopting different shades of yellow, orange, coppery-pink and red. When planted in the ground, it is a perfect bush for coastal gardens. Elsewhere, this small bush, with dense foliage, will adorn the terrace or balcony throughout the summer and spend the winter protected from frost. 

The Coprosma genus is composed of 90 species of evergreen bushes and small trees, most of which are native to New Zealand. These plants belong to the family Rubiaceae, which also includes Sweet Woodruff, Coffee and Gardenia. Recently introduced to the European horticultural market, these bushes, nicknamed mirror plants, develop extremely glossy foliage where light and colours play wonderfully. These tender bushes prefer dry and hot climates, as well as poor and well-drained soils. Hybrids and cultivars like 'Evening Glow' are not very hardy and suffer from temperatures below -3°C (26.6 °F). Therefore, they are best suited for coastal areas spared from severe frosts.

'Evening Glow', obtained in 1998 by Peter John Fraser (NZ), is a hybrid bush derived from the Coprosma repens species among others. It has an upright, compact and dense habit, reaching a height of about 1m (3 ft 4 in) and a spread of 70cm (27.6 in) at maturity and grows rapidly. It develops evergreen foliage composed of small, opposite, leathery and shiny leaves. In spring, their colour is green, speckled with straw yellow. In summer, straw yellow becomes golden yellow, the light green darkens, and red to pink areas appear, especially at the tips. The first autumn cold colours them orange and coppery-pink. Together, they form a kind of sparkling, shimmering and multicoloured bush of great effect. The discreet flowering takes place at the end of summer in tufts of greenish stamens or stigmas, carried by male or female flowers on separate plants. When male plants are planted near female plants, small, decorative, orange-red fruit are formed on the latter.

The Coprosma 'Evening Glow' is a precious-looking bush, highly ornamental when placed in a pot on the terrace or balcony. It can be associated, in a low hedge, with other plants with green foliage (Lonicera nitida), golden foliage (golden oregano), purple foliage like Berberis or grey foliage like artemisias. The small blue flowers of Salvia chamaedryoides or Felicia will cast bluish flashes on the mirror-like foliage. This cultivation method is suitable for most regions with hard frost in winter. This bush requires some precautions to acclimatize in the ground in gardens: it prefers light, poor and non-chalky soils.