Leycesteria Formosa ‘Purple Rain’

Hollow, suckering stems form a leafy thicket, which throughout summer and into autumn, is crowned with colourful flower clusters. From a distance, the blooms appear to be a rich claret-purple, but up close, it’s easier to see that they’re actually white – but each one is encased by richly coloured bracts. The flowers are not particularly long-lasting (and they’re soon replaced by reddish purple berries), but the bracts will last for ages – offering several months of colour and interest. Leycesteria is a beautiful shrub, that makes a great addition to the mixed border or woodland edge.