Copper over green
Young shoots emerge bronze to reddish and contrast clearly with mature glossy green leaves.
Viburnum 'Coppertop'® 15cm
Normal price
€8,00
What does the legal guarantee mean for plants?
The legal guarantee concerns the plant’s conformity at delivery. It is not a guarantee of survival or growth for two years. Each issue is assessed taking into account the nature of the plant, its care and the conditions in which it is kept. Your statutory rights remain unaffected.
Viburnum odoratissimum ‘Coppertop’®
- Evergreen glossy foliage
- Bronze new growth
- Dense compact habit
- Fragrant white flowers
Viburnum odoratissimum Coppertop® turns every fresh flush into a colour event: new shoots open in warm bronze and reddish tones before maturing to deep glossy green. Dense, polished and evergreen, it gives immediate structure to a pot, border or low hedge, while fragrant white flower clusters add a lighter spring highlight. It is one of those shrubs that looks carefully styled in every season.
Its compact, well-branched habit makes it especially useful in contemporary planting. The colour is not limited to a short flowering season: each new growth cycle restores the copper-toned tips above the mature dark foliage.
What makes it special
Coppertop® combines colour, dense structure and easy shaping in a shrub that remains visually useful throughout the year.
Dense architecture
Its upright bushy habit and strong low branching create a full outline without constant formal clipping.
A fragrant spring layer
Cream-white fragrant flower clusters add a lighter seasonal peak above the permanent evergreen framework.
In the garden & on the terracePlacement & plant combinationsPot, border or low evergreen hedge
Sun, partial shade and shelter
Give it full sun or bright partial shade in a position sheltered from freezing winds. In a pot it needs useful root volume, a stable base and free drainage. For a low hedge, space plants roughly 80–100cm apart so they can meet without severe crowding.
Three combinations with clear contrast
- Nandina domestica ‘Gulf Stream’ — echoes the warm tones with a finer texture
- Liriope muscari ‘Big Blue’ — creates a low dark base with purple flowers
- Heuchera ‘Lime Marmalade’ — brightens the front layer with lime foliage
Care at a glance
Light
Full sun to bright partial shade. Higher light usually strengthens the copper colour of new growth.
Watering
Keep the mix evenly moist while it establishes. Once established it tolerates short dry periods, but not prolonged drought in a small pot.
Hardiness
The official European introduction states hardiness to about −8°C. In colder areas protect container roots and shelter the shrub from freezing wind.
Safety
An ornamental plant not intended for consumption. Do not let children or pets chew the leaves, and keep prunings out of their reach.
Detailed careComplete care guideLight, potting, watering, feeding, pruning and winter protection
Light & position
Choose full sun or bright partial shade. On a very hot terrace, morning sun with some afternoon shade helps reduce heat stress.
Planting in a pot
Use a fertile, humus-rich, well-drained mix and a pot with unobstructed drainage holes. Repot without burying the root collar more deeply. Water thoroughly, allow all surplus water to drain and leave no standing water at the base.
Check before watering
Water when the top 2–4cm of mix has dried. Check more frequently in summer, especially in sun and wind.
Feeding
Apply a balanced feed in spring according to the label. Excess nitrogen produces soft vulnerable growth.
Pruning
After flowering, remove dead or crossing shoots and selectively shorten growth outside the outline. Avoid hard pruning late in autumn.
Winter protection
When severe frost is forecast, move the pot beside a sheltered wall and insulate it without blocking drainage.
Development over timeFrom young plant to dense copper-tipped shrubBranching fills the outline and each flush renews the colour
The first season
Roots establish and shoot tips begin producing fresh bronze growth.
Filling the outline
Natural branching and light selective pruning build an even, full shrub.
Mature form
In suitable conditions it forms an upright dense shrub around 2–3m high and up to 2m wide; container culture and pruning retain a smaller scale.
Mature form & size
8–12 yearsHeight 2–3mSpread 1.5–2mDense upright shrub
Dimensions describe a mature shrub in a suitable climate; container culture and selective pruning retain a smaller scale.
Colour through time
Evergreen cycleFresh flushBronze tips above mature green foliage.
SpringFragrant cream-white flower clusters.
From a Florida seedling to Coppertop®
The story of Coppertop® begins in Florida, USA. In 2011 Paul Klinger Jr. noticed one seedling among Viburnum odoratissimum plants with unusually compact growth and consistently bronze young leaves. It was propagated vegetatively and retained those traits in subsequent generations.
The selection was patented as ‘Brant01’ — US Plant Patent PP30,449, granted in 2019 — and introduced under the trade name Coppertop®. In Europe it is protected as PBR EU 65327, represented by Plantipp and received Silver at the KVBC Summer Challenge 2020.
Greenleaf for Plant NerdsScientific details nobody asked forAnthocyanins and clonal stability behind the appearance
Copper colour is ontogenetic
Young leaves accumulate anthocyanins before chlorophyll development is complete. As each leaf matures, green pigment dominates and the copper tone recedes.
A clone, not merely a trade label
‘Brant01’ is maintained by vegetative propagation. This preserves the compact branching and bronze new growth that would not be guaranteed in seed-raised offspring.
Frequently asked questions
Six practical answers about pots, light, pruning, size and cold.
01Is it evergreen?
Yes in a suitable mild climate, although severe frost or freezing wind may damage foliage.
02Can it grow in a pot?
Yes. Use a stable freely drained pot and repot gradually as it grows.
03Sun or partial shade?
It grows in both. Sun usually strengthens colour, while bright partial shade can reduce stress in hot positions.
04When should it be pruned?
After flowering, using light selective cuts. Remove dead, weak and crossing shoots first.
05How large does it become?
In a suitable climate it can reach about 2–3m high and up to 2m wide. Root space and pruning retain a smaller container plant.
06How cold-hardy is it?
The official European introduction states about −8°C. Container roots need extra protection because they freeze more readily.
📦 Your plant travels protected
Every order is prepared with care so your plant arrives upright, secure and safe.
Individual protection
Plants in pots with a capacity of 3 litres or more are placed in individual boxes that hold the pot securely and reduce the risk of tipping over.
Sturdy packaging
We use reinforced cardboard designed to protect against impacts and vibration during transport.