frosted chocolate corokia with silvery foliage and dark stems
- Size
- Height: 1–2 m, Spread: 1–1.5 m, upright shrub
- Lifespan
- 10–20 years
- Diet
- Not applicable (shrub). Photosynthetic.
- Habitat
- Gardens, hedges, coastal plantings and exposed sites. Prefers well-drained soils with full sun to partial shade. Tolerates wind, salt spray, drought and frost.
- Range
- Cultivated throughout New Zealand. Not found in the wild. A garden cultivar derived from native Corokia species. Widely grown in gardens and coastal plantings. Hardy and pest-resistant.
- Endemism
- Endemic
- Main Threats
- No significant conservation threats as this is a cultivated variety. Not applicable to wild populations. Hardy and pest-resistant. Requires well-drained soil and full sun.
- Population
- This is a garden cultivar, not a wild species. It is widely grown in New Zealand gardens for its attractive foliage. No formal conservation assessment exists.
- Conservation Status
- Not Threatened
A popular garden cultivar with distinctive dark chocolate-brown leaves edged with a silvery-white frosting. A shrub that looks like it belongs in a dessert shop.
The colour is most intense in cooler months, when the chocolate tones deepen and the silver edging becomes more pronounced. The leaves are small, oval-shaped, and leathery, with a slightly wavy margin. The stems are dark and wiry, branching to form an upright, bushy shrub. A plant that wears its best colours in winter.
The plant produces small, star-shaped yellow flowers in spring. The flowers are not large or showy, but they are numerous and attract native bees. They are followed by bright red berries that persist into winter, providing food for birds. A plant that gives back, even though it is already beautiful.
Frosted Chocolate Corokia is extremely hardy, tolerating wind, salt spray and drought. It is excellent for hedging and coastal plantings, where its dark foliage provides a striking contrast to lighter green plants. The plant requires little maintenance, making it a favourite for low-maintenance gardens. A plant that does not need a gardener.
The cultivar was bred for its striking foliage colour, which is unique among Corokia cultivars. The dark chocolate-brown leaves with silver edging are a standout feature in any garden, providing year-round interest.
To find Frosted Chocolate Corokia is to look in the gardens of New Zealand. It is a plant of cultivation, not of the wild. The dark leaves with silver edges stand out against the green, a flash of chocolate and frost in the garden.
The garden is quiet. The corokia sits, chocolate leaves edged with silver, yellow flowers bright against the dark. It does not know it was bred for its looks. It does not know it has a name.
It just grows. That is what it was made to do.