Copperleaf

Acalypha amentacea Roxb.

ay-ka-LIFE-ah amen-TACE-ee-ah

Euphorbiaceae

Explanation of name: Generic name from Greek acalephe, nettle (DEH, FER). An ament is a narrow dangling inflorescence. Admiral Charles Wilkes (1798-1877) was a South Pacific explorer (DEH) (see synonym).

Synonym: Better known as Acalypha wilkesiana (Müll.) Arg.

Natural range: Pacific Islands

Recognition: Attractive for colorful, stipulate leaves in variable colors (green, white-variegated, reddish tones). Leaf margins crenate. Flowers inconspicuous in dangling, narrow inflorescences.

            There are numerous cultivars relating to leaf coloration, leaf width (Dwarf Copperleafs, Narrowleaf Copperleafs), and leaf coloration.

            Application of cultivar names, such as ‘Godseffiana’, and ‘Hoffmanniana’ is inconsistent among authorities, nurseries, and landscapers. No single reference can be trusted on this matter. Because cultivar names are not subject to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature, it is sometimes impossible to settle such inconsistencies.

            The bright reddish, narrowleaf clones probably pertain more or less to the cultivar ‘Inferno’, which has its own derivatives, such as ‘Inferno Firestorm’.

Landscape uses: Border, hedge, accent, mass planting, specimen, urn; extremely fast-growing