Can you give me some information on Weigela Midnight Wine and dwarf Nandina? Are there any plant lists of purple-leafed shrubs?
Following is a good description of Weigela ‘Midnight Wine.’ The information comes from the Missouri Botanical Garden, so it is tested and accurate.
WEIGELA
‘Elvera’ Midnight Wine is a dwarf version of the popular Weigela ‘Wine and Roses’ (W760). It is a dense, rounded, low-growing deciduous shrub that typically grows to only 1.5-2 feet tall and as wide. Features profuse reddish-pink flowers and burgundy-purple foliage. Reddish-pink, funnel-shaped flowers (to 1.25 inches long) appear singly or in clusters along the branches of the previous year’s growth in mid- to late spring, with sparse and scattered repeat bloom often occurring on new growth as the summer progresses. Elliptic to obovate, glossy, burgundy-purple leaves (to 3 inches long) turn very dark purple in autumn. Hummingbirds are attracted to the flowers. Original cultivar name is ‘Elvera’, but plants are being marketed under the registered trademark name of Midnight Wine. U. S. Plant Patent #12,217 issued November 20, 2001.
NANDINA
There are several varieties of dwarf Nandina, such as ‘Harbour Dwarf,’ ‘Firepower,’ ‘Nana,’ and ‘Nana purpurea.’ University of Florida Extension has a feature on dwarf Nandina on their website (now archived). There are also plants available from nurseries such as Forestfarm Nursery in Oregon, and Whitney Gardens in Washington.
PLANT SUGGESTIONS
As far as lists of plants with purple foliage, you should find a wealth of information in the book Black Magic and Purple Passion, by Karen Platt, 2004. There are also lists online, such as this page from Iowa State University Extension, entitled “A Passion for Purple.” You can also search Royal Horticultural Society’s Plant Selector and other similar resources by leaf color.