Shrub · Ericaceae
Drooping Leucothoe
Leucothoe fontanesiana
Glossy leathery leaves on arching stems, hung with small white bells, on an evergreen that keeps its color all year.
Partial shade
Every 3–7 days
USDA 5–8
2–6 ft · 0.6–1.8 m
Overview
Drooping leucothoe is a low, spreading evergreen shrub from the southeastern mountains, found along shaded streambanks and woodland slopes. Its stems arch outward in long, low curves, and along them the glossy, leathery leaves hang down in overlapping tiers, each one firm and smooth to the touch. In spring, small white flowers dangle in slender rows beneath those branches like rows of little bells. It sits in the heath family with azaleas and rhododendrons and shares their taste for cool, acidic, woodland soil.
The way it grows gives it its shape and its old name. Left alone, it sends up suckers that knit into a broad, low colony of arching stems, a dense tangle close to the ground. That habit is where the name doghobble comes from, from the days its low, interlacing stems caught the legs of hunting dogs in the southern woods.
The leaves are the plant's real character. They stay firm and glossy through the growing season, then take on bronze or burgundy tints as the cold sets in, holding on the stems all winter rather than dropping. Keeping that foliage clean and colored comes down to steady moisture and acidic ground, with no drought, drying wind, or hot afternoon sun to scorch and dull it.
Care
The short version: grow it in partial to full shade in moist, acidic, humus-rich soil, keep the ground evenly damp since it will not take drought, and shelter it from wind and harsh sun.
Light
Grow leucothoe in partial to full shade, where its glossy leaves keep their color and sheen. A little partial sun is fine only where the soil stays reliably moist, since sun and dryness together scorch and brown the foliage.
Water
Keep the soil consistently moist and never let it dry out, because this shrub has no tolerance for drought. Water every 3 to 7 days depending on the weather, and more often where it sits in a brighter, sunnier spot.
Soil
It needs moist, acidic, humus-rich soil that still drains well, and it takes anything from sandy to clay ground as long as those conditions hold. Aim for a pH of 4.5 to 6.0, well on the acidic side, the same range azaleas prefer.
Temperature
The plant is cold-hardy down to -20°F (-29°C) and tolerates summer heat up to around 90°F (32°C). In the coldest part of its range, a sheltered spot helps the evergreen leaves come through winter clean and firm.
Humidity
Ordinary outdoor humidity suits it, so there is no target to hit. Good air movement matters more, since stagnant, crowded air is what lets leaf spot settle onto the glossy foliage.
Feeding
Feed once in spring with an acidic, ericaceous fertilizer made for acid-loving plants. That single seasonal feeding is enough for a slow grower like this one.
Pruning
Leucothoe is low maintenance and needs little cutting. Prune right after flowering to shape the arching stems, and when a colony grows leggy or overgrown you can cut it back hard to renew the whole stand.
Repotting
Most plants go straight in the ground and stay there. If you grow one in a container, repot every 2 to 3 years in spring, moving up when roots circle the pot or water runs straight through.
Size & spacing
Expect a mature shrub of 2 to 6 feet (60 to 183 cm) tall whose arching stems spread wide, reaching 2 to 8 feet (61 to 244 cm) across as it suckers. Give it room to form a colony, and space plantings so air moves freely between the stems.
When to plant
Leucothoe is hardy in zones 5 to 8 and goes in during spring or early fall, letting the roots settle before summer heat or winter cold. From April to June it hangs slender rows of small white bell-shaped flowers along the undersides of its arching branches.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: Spring or early fall
- Harvest: Blooms April to June (spring)
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 5–8
Temperature: down to -29°C
Troubleshooting
A well-placed leucothoe gives little trouble, so most problems trace to the site rather than a pest. The glossy leaves are where you see it first, dulling or spotting when the air is too still or the soil too dry. Match the look of the foliage below and correct the conditions behind it.
Limp, browning leaves and a whole shrub in decline
When the leathery leaves go limp and brown at the edges and the whole shrub sinks, the cause is drought stress, since leucothoe holds no reserve against a dry root run. Wind and hot afternoon sun draw water from the foliage faster than dry or low-acid soil can send it up the arching stems. Soak the ground deeply to keep it evenly moist, lay mulch over the roots to hold that water and cool them, and move or screen the shrub out of the wind and glare.
Fix:
- Water deeply and keep soil consistently moist
- Apply a layer of organic mulch to conserve moisture and cool roots
- Relocate or screen plants from wind and harsh sun
Brown or dark spots stippling the glossy leaves
Those dark, defined blotches on the leaf surface are fungal leaf spot, which takes hold where the air hangs still and the foliage stays wet. Close, crowded stems and water splashed over the top let it spread across the leaves. Pick off the spotted foliage and clear the fallen leaves below, open the plant so air moves between the stems, and water low at the base to keep the glossy surfaces dry.
Fix:
- Remove and discard affected leaves and any fallen debris
- Improve air circulation by thinning or selective pruning
- Avoid wetting foliage; water at the base of the plant
Toxicity
For all the beauty in its glossy leaves and dangling white flowers, the whole shrub is poisonous, root to flower. Every part holds grayanotoxins, the same heath-family toxin found in azalea and pieris, and even a few leaves can seriously harm pets, horses, and livestock. Nothing on the plant is edible, so keep clippings and fallen leaves away from animals and children and wash your hands after pruning.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Severe
A cat that bites into the glossy leaves starts drooling heavily, then vomits and develops diarrhea within hours. Weakness and an unsteady gait set in, and a larger dose of the grayanotoxins drops blood pressure and unsettles the heart rhythm, which can turn life-threatening.
Dogs Severe
A dog that mouths the leathery foliage drools, vomits, and has diarrhea soon after. The toxin drains its strength and slows the heart, and a large mouthful can lead to collapse, so the vet should be called rather than waited out.
Horses Severe
A horse that browses even a few leaves shows colic, drooling, and a dull, depressed look. The grayanotoxins weaken the muscles and disturb the heart, and a serious dose can bring on collapse.
Rabbits Toxic
The same grayanotoxins that harm cats and dogs make the foliage unsafe for rabbits too. Even a nibble at a leaf can trigger drooling, gut upset, and weakness, so keep the leaves and any trimmings well out of reach.
Livestock Severe
Grazing cattle, sheep, and goats that eat the shrub are hit hard, showing drooling, weakness, and loss of coordination. The poison disturbs the heart rate and rhythm, and a large feeding can end in collapse and death.
Birds Toxic
No part of this shrub is safe for birds, since the grayanotoxins carry the same risk across species. Keep pet birds and backyard poultry away from the leaves, the white flowers, and any fallen clippings.
People Caution
Nothing on this plant is edible, so treat the leaves and flowers as look-but-do-not-taste. Swallowing them can cause nausea, vomiting, and a drop in blood pressure, and children should be kept from putting any part in their mouths.
Keep clippings and fallen leaves away from pets and grazing animals; wash hands after handling.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
Most of the named forms are grown for the color of their new leaves and their winter tints rather than the flowers. These are the ones you are most likely to see.
Girard's Rainbow
Its new growth unfurls marbled with pink, copper, and cream washed over green, a mottled coloring that makes it a favorite for a splash of color.
Scarletta (Zeblid)
The youngest leaves emerge a deep scarlet-red, cool to a glossy green through summer, and darken to burgundy-purple as winter closes in.
Rollissonii
A compact form whose narrow, fine-textured leaves give the whole shrub a softer, more delicate surface than the species.
Whitewater
Its leaves are streaked cream and green, carried along stems that arch out in long, graceful lines.
How to propagate
Leucothoe is easy to multiply because its arching, suckering stems already do much of the spreading, and the simplest methods just follow how the plant grows in the wild.
Stem cuttingsModerate
Summer · Several weeks to a few months to root
Cut lengths of firm, semi-hardwood stem in summer, dip the raw ends in rooting hormone, and hold the humidity steady so the leathery leaves do not dry out before roots form. New roots come slowly, over several weeks to a few months. It is the trickiest method, so expect some cuttings to fail.
DivisionEasy
Spring or early fall · One growing season
Leucothoe throws up suckering shoots that build into colonies, and those already-rooted shoots make division the simplest route. In spring or early fall, lift the clump and pull the rooted suckers apart, and each piece settles in over a single growing season.
LayeringEasy
Spring to summer · Several months to a year
The long, low, arching branches put down roots wherever they press against damp soil. From spring through summer, pin one of those arching stems to the ground and let it root over several months to a year before cutting it free from the parent.
Myths
Leucothoe is a safe, harmless landscape shrub around pets and grazing animals.
Behind the glossy leaves and dangling white bells, every part of this shrub holds grayanotoxins, the same heath-family poison found in azalea and pieris. Even a few leaves can seriously sicken cats, dogs, horses, and livestock. Set it where curious pets and grazing animals cannot reach it.