Highland doghobble

Description

Leucothoe fontanesiana, also known as the highland doghobble, fetter-bush,mountain doghobble or switch ivy, is a species of flowering plant in the family Ericaceae, native to the southeastern United States. It is an erect evergreen shrub growing to 1–2 m (3–7 ft) tall by 3 m (10 ft) broad, with laurel-like glossy leaves 6–16 cm (2–6 in) long, and pendent axillary racemes of urn-shaped flowers in spring. This plant is a calcifuge and requires a shaded position in acid soil. The cultivar 'Rollissonii' has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. L. fontanesiana has been marked as a pollinator plant, supporting and attracting bees and butterflies Leucothoe is a genus of about 6 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, native to Asia and the Americas.Many species have the common name doghobble. They are shrubs growing to 1–3 m tall, either deciduous or evergreen depending on species. The leaves are alternate, oblong-lanceolate, 2–15 cm long. The flowers are produced in racemes 3–15 cm long, each flower bell-shaped, 4–20 mm long, white or occasionally pink.