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Corokia virgata Frosted chocolate

Corokia x virgata Frosted chocolate
wire-netting bush

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A beautiful variety of corokia that stands out for the silver-bronze colour of its winter foliage. It is an evergreen bush, 2m (6 ft 7 in) tall and adorned with small tough leaves, which is covered in spring with a multitude of small, pale yellow, star-shaped, pleasantly scented flowers, and then with orange-red berries at the end of the season. With a naturally upright and bushy habit, it is perfectly suited for creating a flowering hedge by the seaside. Plant it in a sunny spot, in any light, well-drained soil, even quite dry in summer. Hardiness: -7 to -8°C (19.4 to 17.6 °F) for a mature specimen.
Flower size
2 cm
Height at maturity
2 m
Spread at maturity
1.50 m
Exposure
Sun, Partial shade
Hardiness
Hardy down to -6°C
Soil moisture
Dry soil, Moist soil
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Best planting time April
Recommended planting time March to May
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Flowering time May
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Description

Corokia x virgata Frosted Chocolate is a very beautifully coloured version of a little-known New Zealand bush, locally called 'zigzag bush' due to the tangled appearance of its branches. It has small, shiny, green-purple leaves that develop a beautiful patina of bronze to frosted chocolate in winter, and in spring it is covered with small pale yellow star-shaped flowers that are pleasantly fragrant and attractive to bees. In coastal gardens, the corokia x virgata thrives in flowering hedges, exposed to sea spray. Moderately hardy, it is best planted in a pot that can be protected from severe frost in colder regions. 

Corokia x virgata Frosted Chocolate belongs to the Argophyllaceae or Corokiaceae family, depending on the classification. Its ancestor is native to New Zealand and is a spontaneous hybrid between Corokia cotoneaster and C. buddleioides. 'Frosted Chocolate' is a bushy shrub with fairly dense, slender, and angular branches that become blackish with age. It reaches about 2m (6 ft 7 in) in height and 1.50m (4 ft 11 in) in width, depending on growing conditions. Its foliage is dense and evergreen and consists of small oval and elongated leaves, measuring 2 to 4cm (0.8 to 1.6 in) long. The leaves are a shiny purple-green which becomes more or less brown to bronze in cold weather, with a white felted underside. Flowering occurs in May. It produces small fragrant, star-shaped flowers with five pale yellow petals,  measuring 1 to 2cm (0.4 to 0.8 in) in diameter, appearing either solitary or clustered in groups of four in the axils of the leaves. Once pollinated by insects, these flowers give way to small globular fruits that turn orangish-red in autumn when ripe. Corokia Frosted Chocolate is not very hardy and will perish below -7°C. However, this bush adapts to a wide range of soils, even poor and slightly chalky ones, and it is easy to grow both in the ground and in pots. In a coastal garden, it can be planted in an informal or trimmed hedge, or in a large shrub bed. The Corokia virgata also makes a beautiful specimen to be placed alone, appreciated for its unusual appearance in winter. To accompany it, you can choose, for example, an evergreen Ceanothus Puget Blue, an Olearia scillonensis, or a Leptospermum Martini.

 

Corokia virgata Frosted chocolate in pictures

Corokia virgata Frosted chocolate (Flowering) Flowering
Corokia virgata Frosted chocolate (Foliage) Foliage
Corokia virgata Frosted chocolate (Plant habit) Plant habit

Plant habit

Height at maturity 2 m
Spread at maturity 1.50 m
Habit Irregular, bushy
Growth rate normal

Flowering

Flower colour yellow
Flowering time May
Flower size 2 cm
Fragrance slightly scented
Bee-friendly Attracts pollinators
Fruit colour orange

Foliage

Foliage persistence Evergreen
Foliage colour bronze

Botanical data

Genus

Corokia

Species

x virgata

Cultivar

Frosted chocolate

Family

Argophyllaceae

Other common names

wire-netting bush

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Product reference162381

Planting and care

Corokia x virgata Frosted Chocolate prefers to be exposed to the sun and sheltered from cold drying winds, but it can also be planted in partial shade. Plant in fertile and light soil, rather moist to dry in summer, very well drained. It is a fairly easy plant that tolerates some limestone and poor soils. Its drought resistance is quite good, but it will require some watering in summer in the driest regions. Under a fairly mild maritime climate, this bush can be planted in an open location, either individually or as a hedge. Lightly prune awkward stems to maintain symmetry. A severe pruning can be done if necessary to limit growth. To prevent damage from the cold in winter, protect the bushes by covering the ground around the trunk with straw or dry leaves.

Cultivation in pots is possible, using a mixture of potting soil, coarse sand, and fine garden soil. Use a large pot with drainage holes at the bottom and create a layer of clay pebbles or pot shards to facilitate drainage and water flow. Water regularly. Shelter your potted plant in winter in a bright, but unheated room and reduce watering.

Planting period

Best planting time April
Recommended planting time March to May

Intended location

Suitable for Meadow
Type of use Border, Free-standing, Container, Hedge
Hardiness Hardy down to -6°C (USDA zone 9a) Show map
Ease of cultivation Amateur
Planting density 1 per m2
Exposure Sun, Partial shade
Soil pH Any
Soil type Chalky (poor, alkaline and well-drained), Silty-loamy (rich and light), Stony (poor and well-drained)
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil, well-drained

Care

Pruning instructions Prune lightly any stems compromising the symmetry. A severe cut can be made if necessary to limit growth.
Pruning Pruning recommended once a year
Pruning time June
Soil moisture Dry soil, Moist soil
Disease resistance Good
Overwinter Can be left in the ground

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