Florida Bushes With Purple Leaves

For Shade

• For planting sites that receive less than six hours of direct sunlight each day, choose shade-tolerant shrubs. The "Ruby Carousel" barberry (Berberis thunbergii "Bailone Ruby Carousel") has deep purple foliage. This deciduous shrub grows to 6 feet tall with a 4-foot spread. It's hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9a and grows well in moist to dry soil in shady spots. The "Preziosa" hydrangea (Hydrangea serrata "Preziosa") has purple-green variegated foliage and reaches heights to 5 feet. Hardy in USDA zones 5 to 9a, this deciduous shrub blooms with large, pink flowers from spring through summer. It grows well in shaded sites with well-draining soil. Persian shield (Strobilanthes dyerianus) has large, metallic purple foliage. This 3-foot-tall shrub, a Burmese native, promotes a tropical look in your southern Florida landscape. It's hardy in USDA zones 10 to 11 and grows well in moist to wet soil and partial shade.

For Sun

• Choose sun-tolerant shrubs for sites that receive direct sunlight for at least six hours per day. The hopseed bush (Dodonaea viscosa "Purpurea"), also known as the varnish leaf hopbush, grows in USDA zones 9 to 11a. This 15-foot-tall shrub, a North American native, has deciduous purple-green foliage and blooms throughout most of the year with yellow-green blossoms. The "Elvera Midnight Wine" weigela (Weigela Florida "Elvera Midnight Wine") has shiny, purple-burgundy foliage that turns deep purple in fall. This 2-foot-tall deciduous shrub blooms with pink flowers in spring and sometimes again in summer and grows in USDA zones 4 to 9. Both the hopseed bush and the "Elvera Midnight Wine" grow well in well-draining soil.

For Fruits

• Fruiting shrubs add color and texture; some attract wildlife. For bright fruits that contrast with its purple-green foliage, plant a Surinam or stopper cherry (Eugenia uniflora). It grows to 15 feet tall and blooms with aromatic white flowers in spring, followed by edible red berries. The Surinam cherry grows in USDA zones 9b to 11a and prefers sunny sites with well-draining soil. In northern Florida yards, the purple-leaf sand cherry (Prunus x cistena) adds deep, purple-red color. This deciduous shrub grows to 10 feet tall and blooms with white flowers in spring, followed by fruits that attract birds. The purple-leaf sand cherry grows best in full sun and rich, moist soil.

For Flowers

• Flowers add another layer of color -- and sometimes scent -- to your Florida landscape. The "Confetti" abelia (Abelia zanderi "Conti Confetti™") has purple-green, variegated foliage. This evergreen grows to 3 feet tall and wide and blooms with fragrant, white flowers that attract butterflies. The "Confetti" abelia is hardy in USDA zones 5b to 9a, where it prefers dry soil and tolerates full sun to partial shade. The parlour maple (Abutilon pictum), also called the spotted or flowering maple, has purple-green foliage. This deciduous shrub reaches heights to 15 feet and blooms with large yellow blossoms in spring. It tolerates partial shade to full sun and thrives in moist, acidic soil. The parlour maple is hardy in USDA zones 8a to 10b.