For this week’s profile, I’m getting back to superstar plants that laughed at Winter Storm Uri, so you can start replacing dead specimens with ones that can take just about anything.
Today, it’s the lorapetalum. It goes by various common names, including Chinese fringe flower, Chinese witch hazel and pink fringe flower blush. But when you’re looking for a specific plant, make sure the tag says Loropetalum Chinense var. rubrum. Some other variations out there don’t work very well in our Gulf Coast environment. And if you find one labeled "Razzleberry," avoid it at all costs.
The true lorapetalum has been around for about 30 years, but some growers came in on the coattails of its success and tried marketing razzleberry cousins. They simply are not the same thing, and they can’t handle much heat and humidity, much less a freeze.
As you can see, the lorapetalum’s two most significant standouts are the maroon leaves and, when in season, the almost day-glow pink blooms.
I’ve seen this plant kept as a small or medium hedge, and I’ve observed it left to grow randomly but leggy between other green-leafed plants, like wax Myrtles and privets. Some dwarf varieties can be kept to less than two feet and rounded.
I’ve recommended this plant for years in my books and on-site consultations as one of the ultimate “color-tiering” plants - it can be used to add color to a landscape without planting annual flowers. And in a three-tier look, you can use lorapetalum as a back-tier or middle-tier plant. Imagine having a dark, green-leafed plant behind it, then a cream-colored or yellow plant like Aztec grass or variegated flax lily (dainella) in front of it.
And here are two insider secrets for using lorapetalum in your landscape:
- They love azalea food (or what you might consider food for an acid-loving plant).
- They must have really good drainage. If their roots stay too wet for too long, they’ll die.
PHOTOS: Southern Living Plants; Garden Design