Loropetalum

( lor - oh - PET - al - um )

At-A-Glance Information

This genus of flowering herbaceous perennials includes plants called Fringe Flowers that need partial shade in warm climates and regular water. Flowers are white to green, and have narrow, twisted petals. Flowering is heaviest in springtime, but can really happen at any time throughout the year given favorable conditions. Use these shrubs or subshrubs as hedges, in mixed beds and borders, trimmed into trees for growing in the ground as well as in containers, or as plants to hide foundations. Loropetalum can also be used as a groundcover plant in low-traffic areas.

Loropetalum Species and Varietals

The genus Loropetalum includes four species of shrubs, and is a member of the Witch-Hazel family, Hamamelidaceae. Plants in this genus are closely related to those in Parrotia (Ironwood), Corylopsis (Winter Hazel), Fothergilla, and Liquidambar (Sweetgum). These shrubs are suited for USDA hardiness zones 7-10 or Sunset growing zones 6-9 and 14-24. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.

Loropetalum chinense (Chinese Fringe Flower, Strap Flower, Chinese Witch Hazel)
This species is native to Thailand, India, China, Japan and Taiwan, where it grows in woodlands and thickets. Plants have drooping, graceful branches clothed in light green leaves. Flowers are white. Cultivars are listed and described below:

'Carolina Midnight'
Vigorous to 8-15 feet tall with red-purple foliage and red-pink blooms. Good for screening.

'Crimson Fire'
Dwarf to 2-4 feet tall and wide, purple foliage and neon pink flowers.

'Daruma'
Bright pink flowers with green foliage that emerges burgundy. 4-8 feet.

'Emerald Snow'
Green leaves and white flowers on a shrub that reaches 8-15 feet.

'Ever Red'
Dark burgundy foliage and deep red flowers. To 4-8 feet tall.

'Fire Dance'
To 3-5 feet tall with ruby-red to purple foliage and pink blooms.

'Jazz Hands'
White and hot pink new foliage matures to green. Upright to 4-8 feet tall.

'Pipa's Red'
Rich burgundy-purple foliage and pink-red flowers. To 5-8 feet tall.

'Purple Daydream'
With burgundy leaves and dark pink blooms. Compact to under 4 feet.

'Purple Pixie'
Weeping dwarf with deep purple leaves and pink flowers.

'Suzanne'
Compact to 3-4 feet tall and wide with red-maroon foliage.

'Razzleberri'
Raspberry pink flowers and olive green leaves that emerge burgundy.

'Ruby'
To 4-6 feet with ruby-red leaves that mature to purple-green/burgundy.

'Zhuzhou Fuchsia'
Black-purple foliage and fuchsia blooms. To 10 feet tall.

Loropetalum subcordatum (Hong Kong Witch-Hazel)
This species is native to China and Hong Kong, and is considered vulnerable to extinction. It is naturally a tropical region woodland or thicket species. Individual plants reach up to 40 feet tall, and can be grown as large shrubs or pruned into trees. Leaves are green, and flowers are frilly and white.

Caring for Loropetalum

Plant Loropetalum shrubs in a space in the landscape that receives full sun to partial shade; ideally, they appreciate between 4 and 6 hours of sun each day. Space plants at intervals equal to their mature spread minus one foot, to allow branches to intertwine for a dense hedge. Plant farther apart to allow plants to take their natural form. If planting as a groundcover, choose dwarf or weeping cultivars and space them 3 to 4 feet apart. Ensure that soil is well-draining, rich in nutrients, and has a pH of between 4.0 and 6.0 (acidic). If local soils are particularly poor in nutrients or do not drain well, make sure to amend the planting area with plenty of organic compost before installing. Apply a layer of mulch around the planting area to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention.

Water new plantings regularly as they establish a strong root system in their new home. At maturity, these plants perform well in consistently moist soils. Fertilize yearly in early springtime with an application of 2 inches of compost around the base of plants. Pull mulch back before applying, work the compost gently into the soil a bit, water it in, and then replace mulch. Pruning is simple; remove any damaged, diseased, or dead foliage at any time during the growing season. Fringe Flower blooms primarily on old wood, but may produce sporadic flowers on new wood later in the summer. The best time to prune for shape and size is just after the plant finishes blooming. Avoid fall or winter pruning. Loropetalum plants can survive in the landscape for 15 to 25 years or more before needing to be replaced.

Caring for Loropetalum in Containers
Loropetalum shrubs are wonderful in the ground, but can also be grown in containers. Choose a container that is at least a few inches wider and deeper than the nursery pot or root ball. Ensure that the pot has adequate drainage holes on the bottom to allow for excess water to flow away. Fill with a well-draining potting mix amended with organic material and perlite, and top with a layer of mulch to suppress weed growth, maintain consistent soil temperatures, and to increase soil moisture retention. Water regularly as the plant establishes itself in its new home. Once established, waterings can be lessened. Fringe Flower plants grown in containers will need more frequent irrigation than those grown in the ground. As a general rule of thumb, water whenever the top few inches of soil feels dry to the touch. Prune to remove dead, damaged, or diseased foliage at any time during the growing season. Every few years, check the bottom of the pot to ensure that the plant is not outgrowing its root space. If roots are growing through the drainage holes in the bottom of the container, it is a good indication that it needs to be potted up; choose a slightly larger container and repot.

Propagation

Loropetalum is best propagated through taking cuttings of an existing plant. To propagate your Fringe Flower, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Loropetalum by Cutting

Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. A good substrate for propagation of cuttings is a light blend of 1/3 pasteurized soil or compost, 1/3 sand, vermiculite or perlite, and 1/3 coconut coir or peat moss.
In summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.