Common Name: Copper Plant, Copperleaf
Scientific Name: Acalypha wilkesiana
Type of Plant: Shrub
Description: One of the prettiest Florida shrubs is copper plant – or “copperleaf” – with its striking, brightly-colored leaves. Each leaf is different, like a miniature masterpiece of nature.
Mature Size: 6-10′ tall x 4-8′ wide
Blooms: These shrubs do flower but with narrow, dangling, fuzzy blooms (called “catkins”) similar in color to the foliage so the blossoms are all but invisible.
Climate Requirements: Copperleaf plants like full sun to part shade – and the more sun, the brighter the leaf color. They’re not strong, robust shrubs, so plant in an area sheltered from wind.
Care Requirements: Trim occasionally for shape and height (do branch trimming rather than using hedge trimmers). Give the plant a hard pruning in spring (late March or early April) for bushier growth and to keep it the size you want. Fertilize 3 times a year – in spring, summer and fall – with a good granular fertilizer.
Spacing: Space plants 24-36″ apart
Water Needs: Keep a regular watering schedule for these shrubs. If they stay too dry for too long they won’t look their best and the resulting stress can invite pests.
Maintenance: Low
Special Uses/Attributes: If crotons are not your cup of tea, these colorful foliage plants are an outstanding substitute. Evergreen (though they can thin in winter) and moderately salt-tolerant, they’re fast growers you can keep 3 to 5 feet.
Florida Native: No