Great for beginners (and chocolate lovers!) this evergreen shrub with sumptuous, dark, cocoa coloured, purple-toned leaves is easy to grow, offering year-round interest. ‘Mint Chocolate’ is richly adorned with vivid mauve-purple flowers that are highly prized by bees and other pollinating insects, and not ‘after-eight’ pm on a summer's evening!
How to care for Veronica Mint Chocolate:
Needs minimal pruning. Remove spent flowers to encourage a longer flowering period and prune to shape after flowering, removing misplaced or frost damaged branches in late spring. This plant may need protection from hard frosts and cold, drying winds by covering them with horticultural fleece, and apply mulch around the base of the plant to protect the roots from cold temperatures.
Flowering period:
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Eventual height:
1m
Eventual spread:
1m
Soil:
Moderately fertile, moist, well-drained soil
Hardiness:
Borderline hardy (will need protection in winter in colder areas)