Loropetalum, Loropetalum chinense, sometimes called Chinese fringe flower, is a versatile shrub that is a member of the witch hazel family.
It usually grows as a round shrub. Different varieties range from 3 feet to 10 feet tall with arching branches bearing soft 1-2 inch long leaves. The older common form has green leaves with white flowers, each with 4 narrow petals, clustered at the branch tips. The new pink-flowered forms have deep maroon leaves.
Flowering is heaviest in the spring but sporadic flowers are likely to occur at anytime of the year.
Loropetalum can be grown in mild coastal climates in light shade to full sun, yet it easily tolerates the colder winter temperatures and heat associated with other parts of Georgia. Plant in neutral to slightly acidic soil and irrigate occasionally – plants prefer it moist but not wet.
The red-leaf/pink flower form of loropetalum has made it a star of the horticultural world in only a decade.