Other Names:  Carolina Allspice, Spicebush, Strawberry Shrub

Brand:  Proven Winners

Description:

A compact, rounded shrub with reliable sweet spicy fragrance emanating from subtle orange-red flowers; blushed red new foliage matures to a striking, shiny burgundy, then transitions to shades of orange in the fall; easy to grow and low maintenance

Ornamental Features

Red Zeppelin® Sweetshrub features subtle fragrant semi-double orange spider-like flowers with red overtones along the branches from late spring to early summer. It has attractive burgundy deciduous foliage which emerges dark red in spring. The glossy oval leaves are highly ornamental and turn an outstanding orange in the fall.

Landscape Attributes

Red Zeppelin® Sweetshrub is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a more or less rounded form. Its average texture blends into the landscape, but can be balanced by one or two finer or coarser trees or shrubs for an effective composition.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Red Zeppelin® Sweetshrub is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use
• Naturalizing And Woodland Gardens
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Red Zeppelin® Sweetshrub will grow to be about 8 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 20 years.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under average home landscape conditions. This plant does not require much in the way of fertilizing once established. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution. This is a selection of a native North American species.

Red Zeppelin® Sweetshrub makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.