In my climate, Lilla is a dieback shrub and it certainly is not as vigorous as the other purple Smokebushes. It reached about 2.5-3' tall each year where as a Royal Purple or Winecraft Black would be 2-3x that.

Let's be perfectly clear here. Despite ken's frequent admonishments to the contrary, plants DO have a mature height programmed into them by genetics. They neither grow at the same rate throughout their entire lifespan nor will they continue to grow with that same vigor until they die, otherwise any unpruned shrub that's been planted for a decade or two would be 40 feet tall or more!! Yes, they do continue to grow as long as they are alive but once they achieve their genetic size potential, growth will slow to an almost imperceptible rate.

This is the reason there are such things as compact or dwarf forms of trees, shrubs and perennials. Not all selections or cultivars will achieve the same size as the species, either by the breeder's/developer's intention or by genetic chance.

The smokebush 'Lilla' has not been around long enough to display unwanted growth characteristics over an extended time period but it seems unlikely to get very much larger than the quoted size.

Thanks everyone! Sounds like Lilla might not meet my height requirements.

Yep, I'm after a 5-7 foot shrub with purple foliage. I'm planting a purple-foliage tree (japanese snowbell 'evening light') nearby and want to tie the two sides of the view together. Sounds like I need to either make peace with a ninebark or submit to yearly cutbacks on something like winecraft black.

Any other suggestions for medium purple foliaged-shrubs welcome!

A bit light, but Rosa glauca

Another ninebark to look at for that size is Fireside. It seems to have a reasonable growth rate and much easier to deal with compared to Summer Wine.

Oooh rosa glauca. I also ran into a purple-ish foliaged callicarpa that might do the trick. Will also check out Fireside ninebark. Thanks everyone!

Updating here—I ran into a winecraft black for an outrageously low price at an Amish nursery and made an impulse purchase...and I'm so glad I did! It was my favorite new addition last year and brought everything else into focus with that amazing deep purple foliage. Thanks, everyone, for your help!

I also picked up the pearl glam callicarpa. The foliage was meh for most of the year, but it did look stunning in the fall against the purple berries.

(hopefully my photos will post in the next comment? 🤷‍♀️)

And I guess that's a big nope on photos. I don't understand how this website still exists if you can't reliably upload photos or type on mobile. Grrr. Will try again sometime soon.

lw, the site has fewer and fewer visitors all the time based on what I see. Makes me wonder how long the gardening forums can hang on. Please continue to try to post photos; I would love to see them.

Will do! this is still the best gardening forum i’ve found. it could be so good with just some basic functionality.