Description

Corokia 'Frosted Chocolate' is a handsome, hardy New Zealand native shrub prized for its distinctive foliage and interesting form. This evergreen typically grows to 2m tall and 1m wide, featuring a mass of wiry, tangled, silver-grey branches adorned with small, chocolate-brown leaves that have a silvery underside. This unique coloration intensifies in winter, creating a striking frosted appearance.

In spring, 'Frosted Chocolate' produces small, star-like, mildly fragrant yellow flowers, followed by attractive red-orange berries in summer, which attract birds. The shrub's dense, twiggy growth habit makes it an excellent choice for hedging, particularly in coastal and urban areas.

This Corokia cultivar is versatile in landscaping, suitable for mixed plantings, as a backdrop for smaller plants, or as a border. It can be easily trimmed to maintain shape and encourage new growth. For hedge planting, space plants 50-60cm apart.

'Frosted Chocolate' thrives in full sun to partial shade and prefers well-drained soil. It's drought-tolerant once established and can handle coastal and windy conditions, making it robust for challenging environments. However, it may be frost tender in inland parts of Canterbury.

With its year-round appeal and low maintenance requirements, Corokia 'Frosted Chocolate' is an excellent choice for adding contrast and interest to various garden styles, including contemporary, native, and themed gardens focusing on foliage color and texture.