Coppertips

Coppertips looks like someone took a regular shrub and dipped the ends of every branch in molten copper. This Pacific Coast native creates one of the most unique color displays in the plant world, with young growth emerging in shades of bright orange, copper, and bronze that literally seem to glow in the sunlight.

The "tips" part of the name is absolutely accurate – it's the new growth at the end of each branch that provides the spectacular color show. As the seasons progress, these copper tips gradually mature to green, but the plant keeps producing new growth, ensuring there's always a fresh display of metallic color. It's like having a shrub that's constantly updating its own highlights.

What makes Coppertips truly special is how it combines this incredible ornamental value with California native toughness. This plant evolved along the Pacific Coast, so it knows exactly how to handle our Mediterranean climate. Once established, it's incredibly drought tolerant and requires almost no maintenance beyond an occasional pruning to keep it looking neat.

The small white flowers that appear in spring are lovely but honestly play second fiddle to that amazing foliage display. The overall form is neat and compact, making it perfect for modern landscapes or anywhere you want to add a touch of metallic magic. Birds appreciate the small berries that follow the flowers. You'll find this glowing gem adding year-round copper color and native plant appeal to our median plantings, proving that sometimes the most stunning ornamental plants are hiding in our own backyard.