Acalypha wilkesiana: The Dazzling Copperleaf

The Flamboyant Jacob's Coat

Acalypha wilkesiana, known as Lance Copperleaf, Jacob's Coat, Fire-Dragon, Match-Me-If-You-Can, or Irish Petticoat, is a spectacular foliage shrub native to the Pacific Islands. Its wildly variegated leaves in copper, crimson, pink, cream, and green create a year-round festival of color.

Botanical Profile

Kaleidoscopic Foliage

This evergreen shrub grows 6-10 feet tall and wide (smaller with pruning) with large, ovate, serrated leaves that are uniquely patterned—no two leaves are identical. Colors range from deep copper and burgundy to bright pink, cream, and green, often with contrasting margins and sectors. Inconspicuous catkin-like flowers appear periodically but are secondary to the foliage.

Copperleaf thrives in full sun to partial shade—best color develops with some direct sun. It prefers rich, moist, well-draining soil and regular water. Heat and humidity loving. Hardy only in zones 10-11; widely grown as a stunning annual bedding plant, container specimen, or hedge in frost-free areas.

Landscape Impact

Unmatched for bold, tropical color in borders, hedges, screens, and large containers. The intense foliage holds its own against flowering plants. Responds well to pruning—can be kept as a formal hedge or allowed natural form. Combine with solid green or purple companions to highlight the variegation. A true showstopper.