What is a good plant to use as a hedge with dark red or purple leaves?

Question

I wanted a hedge in front of my house that would grow 4 feet tall with a very dark red leaf or deep purple. Any ideas and where to find?
P.S. I live in Florida and it has to be full sun!!

Answer 1

The purple leaf plum hedge has purple and red. It produces red leaves in the spring, white blossoms in May, and purple cherries in autumn. In autumn the folliage also turns a beautiful reddish purple.
http://www.directgardening.com/detail.asp?nav=hed&pid=6138
There is also:
--the burning bush, whose folliage is dark green through the summer and turns coppery red in the fall:
http://www.directgardening.com/detail.asp?nav=hed&pid=5780
--rose robin hood red, which is a fast spreading rose hedge:
http://www.directgardening.com/detail.asp?nav=hed&pid=5252
--barberry redleaf, which is a purpley red, turning to a more brilliant orangey red in the fall:
http://www.directgardening.com/detail.asp?nav=hed&pid=6860
--red hydrangea:
http://www.directgardening.com/detail.asp?nav=shr&pid=7152
red flowering quince, which has dark green folliage and red flowers in the spring, with the folliage darkening to reddish-green in the fall:
http://www.directgardening.com/detail.asp?nav=shr&pid=6281
--red twig dogwood, which has green folliage and white flowers, but beatutiful red wood in the winter:
http://www.directgardening.com/detail.asp?nav=shr&pid=6747
--purple smoke bush, of which the picture and name says it all:
http://www.directgardening.com/detail.asp?nav=shr&pid=5393
Check your hardiness zone, also. In Florida, you are either 8, 9, or 10. Hydrangea and quince would go well in all of the zones, but burning bush or purple plumleaf would only be suitable in zone 8, which is the northwestern edge of Florida. Oh, and I only did these links to have the pictures. I have ordered from this company before, so I knew that they would have hedges to look at. I think that mixing and matching some of these would be beautiful and you could have color year round.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
What is a good plant to use as a hedge with dark red or purple leaves?
I wanted a hedge in front of my house that would grow 4 feet tall with a very dark red leaf or deep purple. Any ideas and where to find?
P.S. I live in Florida and it has to be full sun!!

Answer 3

Purple Hedge

Answer 4

The Cotinus shrub have intense dark red and purple leaves, depending on variety. Some are dwarfer than others. I keep mine at about 5', and they respond well to pruning, with more intense colors and growth. Go for as dwarf a variety as you can.

Answer 5

There is one called a burning bush.
http://www.rockyfork.com/Data%20base%
Here is a pic and infor about Burning Bush:
20info/eu_alata.htm

There is also a shrub called Nandina that has the more purple/red color in the fall.
Here is a pic and info about Nandina:
http://www.thegardenhelper.com/nandina.html

Answer 6

The zone you live in makes a HUGE difference. Are you in the North, where it could snow or the south with just cool and occasionally cold weather in the winter? Florida is zones 8 in the panhandle, middle is 9 and south is 10. You need to research and know that before anyone can make any realistic suggestions.

Answer 7

Red barberry is good, but 4 feet is about the max for them. Chinese fringe tree is bigger and also has purple-red leaves, plus nice flowers. Both are full sun and should take the heat in Florida.

Answer 8

Crimson pygmy barberry does well here in the midwest. Ask your local nursery specialist if it could do well there.

Nice color and it has thorns, so no one's coming through that hedge. Can be pruned to shape or left natural