[MikeHardman]

The first photo shows the foliage primarily, but in the background you can see the light brown, winged seed pods.

The second photo shows the whole bush, about 2m tall. It typically looks a rather luminous light green in the sunlight, and in that respect it is somewhat like some acacias. ...But much less of a thug, I think. It seems able to grow in similarly poor and dry locations without watering.

I have grown it from seed quite easily, and will try some cuttings.
The flowers are not very showy. For me it is a foliage plant, and one that I will try in my slope-stabilization experiments.

Anybody have any experiences of growing it?

[John J]

I haven't grown it myself but one of its main uses seems to be as a hedging plant, certainly in this area of the island.

[ezeiza]

I have seen it growing on hill slopes in Uruguay (native there) in frost free in winter and very hot in the warm season locations.

Very good for drained hot windy spots. It is also frost resistant to -12 C (maybe lower).

Here in Argentina the green form is virtually unknown. The form widely used is 'Purpurea', a fantastically striking plant, with glorious effect when seen against the sun.

[MikeHardman]

Thanks.
That purple form does look good, ezeiza.

[Fleur Pavlidis]

The purple form changes colour through the year, starting the spring with dark red leaves and ending the summer almost green - see photo. This is the only bush I have left; two others objected to the limited summer watering I gave them and another died as a result of frost damage - I find them less hardy than I'd hoped considering that they are sold in England.

[ezeiza]

Not the same form we grow here in South America that retains the same color year round. I said above, we do not know the green form.

[David Bracey]

I grew the purple variety because I thought the colour dramatic.  Not many purpled leaved plants.  However it turned out to be disappointing and it eventually died probably due to frosts or cold weather. I did not bother to replace it.  Growth is a bit wispy , as I recall, maybe this is the reason it is grown as a hedge where clipping will lead to denser growth. David

[John]

I thought I had already posted this! The purple form of Dodonaea viscosa grows very happily on the Cotintin (Cherbourg) peninsular in northern France. These two pictures were taken there this year after a hard winter in different gardens. I have also seen it in the UK. I had thought that it was just from Australia but it has quite a world distribution.