Summary
A Mt. Cuba Center Plant Introduction. This mid-height perennial is perfect for adding contrast to the garden. ‘Chocolate’ thrives in moist soil and partial shade. The dark purple leaves show their best color in full sun, but adequate moisture is needed to keep the leaves from scorching. Chocolate white snakeroot grows approximately 3′ tall and has white, compound inflourescenes that bloom from early September to October. This plant is a prolific self-seeder but unfortunately the seedlings do not have the consistent purple foliage color of the parent. Deadheading may be helpful to prevent unwanted seedlings.
Introduced by Mt. Cuba Center in 1994, Chocolate white snakeroot was selected by Dr. Richard W. Lighty and descended from a plant found in the early 1970s by Hal Bruce, Taxonomist at Winterthur Gardens. ‘Chocolate’ was found to have the darkest foliage of many seedlings grown over a ten year period.
More Details
- Plant Type
perennial - Sun/Shade Conditions
filtered-shade, full-sun - Foliage Character
deciduous - Soil Moisture
average, moist - Flowering Period
early-fall - Soil PH
adaptable - Flower Color
white - Summer Foliage Color
green, purple - Other Scientific Names
Eupatorium rugosum ‘Chocolate’
- Fall Foliage Color
brown, green, purple - Fruit/Seed Color
not-showy