Weeping Chinese Fringe Flower
Loropetalum chinense 'Plum
Purple'
(lor-oh-PET-al-um) (chi-NEN-see)
Synonyms: Chinese Witch Hazel
This was my first look at
this plant in a landscape situation and it is super attractive. The foliage is
outstanding and sets up the little yellow flowers nicely. This specimen was
growing in the Ladies Border at the NYBG. That is the area devoted to growing
plants that are not really hardy in the area. Loropetalum is rated to USDA Zone
7 so it wouldn’t make it in Connecticut (maybe on the direct shoreline) but
should be good in the Bronx where this was living.
The problem I have found
growing Zone 7 plants in Connecticut is that you are good for many seasons
until we get that one bad winter and it kills everything back to the ground.
Sometimes we have multiple bad winters in a row and that really finishes things
off. We had some Crepe Myrtles at the Estate for about 10 years and they were
really beautiful. The 11th winter killed the tops and the resulting growth from
the roots was disappointing for a couple of years after that. I had hoped that
some sort of flowering shrub would develop but it never did.
Loropetalum likes partial sun
and well drained soil. It has minimal water needs after getting established.
There are numerous other cultvars available.
2 comments:
Chris, I have never seen a Loropetalum with that kind of flower (the yellow one). Usual flower is like a witch hazel flower, fringe-y. I have a few Loropetalum, one 'newer' variety, 'Ever Red'. Super plant.
Sorry you have such zonal issues.
Yeah there is something weird about this photo. I haven't figured it out yet.
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