The Kochia or Burning Bush planted for its red and purple fall foliage.

Image from my garden taken July 19, 2009.

About the Kochia

The Kochia or Burning Bush an annual shrub with fern-like foliage that adds the red and purple color for the fall. I first planted the Burning Bush (burning bush for its reddish-purple color) years ago after seeing it in a neighbors yard at fall time. The coloring was a brilliant red and I was so disappointed to learn that it grows as an annual in our Zone 3.

How To Grow the Kochia

This annual shrub adapts to any conditions, except frost. I planted three and within 4 weeks they had quadrupled in size. It was to my saving grace that Bugs the bunny sneaked into my middle garden and pruned the three plants very nicely. My husband neglected to turn on the My Scarecrow.

The Kochia annual shrub is very drought tolerant. The erect striated stems are light green and branched, almost fern-like or hairy and are 1 to 2 inches long. I can see that the main stem of the plant can be tinged with red. This Burning Bush does flower, but the blooms are an inconspicuous green.

Like me, if you are looking for a filler plant in your garden, the Kochia is the one. You not only provide your flowerbed with a fullness look but in the fall, this annual shrub turns into a red and purple wonder.

Companion plants: Becky Shasta Daisy, Liatris Blazing Star or Flower Carpet Roses or Coral Bells Harvest Burgundy.

Check out my Site Index Page for a listing of additional annuals and perennials to plant in your flower garden design.

Kochia Features

• it will not flower and set seed if the mean temperature is less than 15.5 degrees
• has a wide tolerance of soil types and is even adapted to salty soils
• it is found on pasture, rangeland, roadsides, ditch banks, wastelands, and cultivated fields
• annual plant that reproduces from seeds
• it has a deep taproot
• the erect, much-branched stems are three to seven feet long, smooth below but usually hairy above
• the small green flowers lack petals and are found in clusters in the axils of the upper leaves and in terminal spikes
• makes a great annual shrub in the garden
• great brilliant red fall color

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