Dodonaea viscosa Purpurea

Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea', also known as the purple sticky hop bush, is an Australian bush that catches attention with its slightly wild elegance, and its winter foliage that is purple and shiny, truly blazing in the sun. It is a robust plant that will thrive in any well-drained soil, even if it's dry in summer. Of medium stature, this hop bush is perfectly suited for the creation of an informal or trimmed hedge, but also for planting individually, as a background for flowerbeds, in mild gardens.

Dodonaea viscosa 'Purpurea' belongs to the Sapindaceae family. In nature, the species Dodonaea viscosa is found in the clear forests and dry thickets of the tropical and subtropical regions of Australia. Its cold resistance is limited: a mature specimen will perish below -5/-6°C if not protected. It is most often a dioecious bush, meaning that male and female flowers bloom on separate plants. However, some monoecious specimens, which bear both male and female flowers, are capable of fruiting without the presence of a male plant nearby.

The 'Purpurea' sticky hop bush, the result of spontaneous hybridization, was discovered by a New Zealand gardener around 1899. The plant has a bushy, upright, well-branched and flexible habit. Its growth is quite rapid, the bush reaches up to 3m (9 ft 10 in) in height and 2m (6 ft 7 in) in width under good conditions. The flexible branches bear sticky juvenile leaves, rich in gum and resin. The adult leaves are tough, elongated, slightly shiny and hairy, measuring 5 to 8cm (2 to 3.1 in) in length. Their colour is medium green from spring to summer then with the onset of cold, they gradually turn red and then purple, especially if the plant is in full sun. Flowering occurs from May to July depending on the climate. The insignificant and petal-less flowers are grouped in small clusters or terminal cymes and in the axils of the leaves. After pollination, curious angular and winged fruits form with a texture that somewhat resembles paper. They take on pretty pink to red hues as they ripen.

Dodonaea viscosa Purpurea is used as an informal or trimmed hedge, in a shrub bed or individually in gardens spared from heavy frosts. It can be associated with evergreen ceanothus, olearia, Choysia, oleander, tamarisk, Vitex, California flannel bush and other mimosa species to spread out the flowering and play with textures. It also adapts to cultivation in large pots on a contemporary terrace, bringing a touch of elegance. This bush should be stored indoors in a very bright but unheated space, such as an orangery, during winter.

In phytotherapy, Dodonaea viscosa is used to treat osteoarthritis, rheumatism, and gout.