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Loropetalum

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March 5, 2013
During the late winter and early spring, it can be easy to ignore some of the shrubs that provide the backbone of our landscapes. One of the best landscape shrubs we can grow is loropetalum. There are many selections available that will fill any landscape need. Burgundy loropetalum was selected as a Mississippi Medallion Winner in 2001 and is still a landscape favorite. As you can see this selection will grow to ten feet if left unpruned. However, Burgundy Loropetalum tolerates pruning well if wanting to maintain the plant at a certain size. Ruby loropetalum has a very similar look as Burgundy, except it only grows to about five feet. This makes a great choice as an accent plant and combines well with Knockout roses. There are some landscape situations where an even smaller loropetalum would be more appropriate. One of the nicest introductions in recent years is Purple Pixie. These slow growing plants will grow to one foot tall with a three feet spread and will not over whelm the planting bed. During the summer, loropetalum foliage turns a deep dark burgundy red. But right now, since it is late winter, the foliage is not as prominent. In fact the foliage has lost much of its summer color, but this allows a much better display of the flowers. Loropetalum flowers are strap-like and feathery, that gives the appearance of having a fine texture. These flowers start to appear in the early spring, and taper off to more sporadic blooming through the rest of the summer. For the best foliage color, always plant in the full sun. Loropetalum is a good choice for tolerating the droughty conditions we frequently experience in Mississippi. I’m horticulturist Gary Bachman for Southern Gardening.

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