How to Grow Loropetalum Chinese Fringe Bush 2023

How to Grow Loropetalum Chinese Fringe Bush 2023

If you want to give life to your garden with one of the most striking and beautiful bushes that can be found, this interests you. Loropetalum Chinese stands out both for its attractive evergreen foliage and beautiful fringed flowers, which will fill your garden with scent during late winter and spring.

If you want to learn how to grow a Loropetalum Chinese and its care to keep it in the best possible shape, join us in this EcologíaVerde article.

Index

1. Characteristics of Loropetalum chinense
2. Location for Loropetalum chinense
3. Loropetalum chinense irrigation
4. Substrate for Loropetalum chinense
5. Subscriber of the Loropetalum chinense
6. Multiplication of Loropetalum chinense

Characteristics of Loropetalum chinense

Commonly called loropetalum and with the scientific name Loropetalum Chinese, our protagonist plant today is a shrub that originates in Japan and Southeast Asia. It belongs to the Hamamelidaceae family and the Loropetalum genus, which has only three species: Loropetalum subcordate, Loropetalum lance, and Loropetalum chinense.

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How to Grow Loropetalum Chinese Fringe Bush 2023

It is an evergreen shrub that, although it usually does not exceed 2 meters in height, can grow up to 4 or 5 meters, giving rise to a very striking little tree. Its leaves are oval and alternate, of a beautiful green or bronze, but what steals its attention are its flowers, which appear at the end of winter and extend until April, with their characteristic fringed or spider shape. 

The flowers are usually white, but the cultivars of the Rubrum variety, very widespread and appreciated, all have beautiful pink flowers with pleasant perfume.

Its cultivation is common both in isolation, as a small tree, as well as forming hedges, borders, or even in a pot, and it is such a beautiful plant that it can adapt to practically any space as long as it is given what it needs.

Location for Loropetalum chinense

The best location for the loropetalo is in a semi-shade, where it receives some sun in the hours of mildest incidence and is covered in the midday hours, where the sun’s intensity is highest. However, unless the local sun is exceptionally intense, loropetal can also grow in total exposure without too much trouble.

In any case, and regardless of whether we grow it in a pot or the ground, we are dealing with an outdoor plant, which will develop much better in the garden but can also increase healthy, although logically smaller, on terraces and balconies.

In terms of temperature, the loropetal develops well in temperate climates such as the Mediterranean, easily resisting moderately high temperatures and occasional frost as long as they are not very intense or prolonged.

Loropetalum Chinese irrigation

It is not a bush particularly sensitive to drought and is, therefore, quite rustic regarding irrigation. The loropetal needs more frequent watering when the plant is young, but after the initial period, it is best to let the soil or substrate dry slightly before drying again.

If in doubt, don’t water again until the top layer of the soil looks dry, as the bush can withstand droughts for several days without problems and will recover as soon as you add water again.

You should not rinse with tap water if your area has a lot of lime, as it could alter the pH of the soil. Instead, use rainwater or mineral water, and if you have no choice but to use tap water, let it sit for 24 hours before watering with it so that limescale settles to the bottom, which you should not use.

Substrate for Loropetalum chinense

It is one of the points in which the loropetal is more demanding and probably the key to the development of your plant. It needs land or substrates with a certain level of acidity, or it is likely to suffer from chlorosis, which affects its development and can pose a severe threat to the plant over time.

Plant it like this in non-limestone areas of your garden, or use soil or substrate for acidophilic plants. In addition, padding the substrate with mulch will guarantee excellent moisture retention and protection.

Subscriber of the Loropetalum chinense

Before planting your parrot in the garden, you should enrich the soil with organic matter or fertilizer for acidophilic plants since the nutrient requirements of this little tree are remarkable. After that initial subscription, renew the nutrients every autumn and add organic matter such as earthworm humus or compost every three weeks during flowering, stimulating it and giving it strength.

If you need to report, do so in early spring, thoroughly preparing the soil in the new location with the proper nutrients.

Multiplication of Loropetalum chinense

It can be multiplied both in the traditional way by seeds and cuttings. Sowing seeds should always be done in spring, while cuttings will work better and have more chances of success in summer once the plant has finished flowering.

You may be interested in this other EcologíaVerde article on How to root cuttings. If you want to read more articles similar to Loropetalum chinense: care, we recommend you visit our Indoor plant category.

We can only love this small evergreen shrub native to China and Japan, a worthy representative of the Hamamelidaceae family. Although introduced to Europe in the late 19th century (1880) by the botanist Charles Maries, we can only regret that the Chinese Parrot ( Loropetalum chinense ) is not found more often in gardens, while the beauty of its foliage and horizontal growth they deserve more attention.

Contents

Identification document

• Family: Hamamelidaceae
• Soil: non-calcareous, preferably slightly acid
• Location: In mild sun or partial shade.
• Resistance: -7°C
• Flowering: from February to April
• Dimensions: 1.5 m high and wide.

The purple Loropetalum is the most decorative.

Highly hardy (-20°C), Loropetalum Chinensis forms a relatively low and sprawling bush (1.50m to 2m tall and wide) with a rounded appearance. Do not expect spectacular growth; it is even relatively slow, which owners of small gardens will surely appreciate.

Its small, oval, persistent, glossy leaves are classically loamy to dark green with slightly bluish reflections. But these classic varieties are not the prettiest. Most decorative loropetalums are, in fact, those with purple, almost black foliage, such as the superb pearl black Loropetalum chinense.

 Lropetalum Fire dance, it’s initially green leaves turn purple later. 

As for the beautiful small flowers of the shrub, arranged in hanging bouquets, they bloom in early spring, often even in mid to late winter (January-March) in a temperate climate, making it a winter flowering shrub.

 Favorite. Creamy white to deep pink, all pleasantly scented, their thin, twisted, laciniate petals make them look like amazing spiders, reminiscent of a shrub of the same family: Witch Hazel! These petals are also at the origin of the plant’s name, loron, which means “tongue” in Greek.

Where to grow Chinese Parrot?

In a mild and humid climate in winter and hot in summer, the Chinese Parrot likes it best in partial shade, away from drafts. In cooler temperatures, could you place it in full sun?

A drained, fertile, and slightly acidic soil is appreciated in all cases. As soon as it’s planted, cover its feet with bark or pine needles to keep it cool all summer and the soil acidic.

 In particular, avoid limestone soils where it vegetates and develops chlorosis, in addition to rinsing with tap water, which is also calcareous in many regions of France.

How to plant monopetalous?

• In the ground, dig a hole one and a half times the size of the root ball.
• Meanwhile, submerge the bush’s roots in a large volume of room-temperature water.
• Mix one-third compost and one-third heather soil with the extracted soil in a wheelbarrow.
• Put down the monopetalous, unravel its roots and place it in the center of the hole so that the top of the root ball is flush with the surface.
• Recap the sides with the prepared potting mix. Firmly tamp down with your hands and pour to finish a full watering can of rainwater (11 liters)
• Placing a drainage layer at the bottom to plant in a pot or container. Lighten the previous soil mix with a shovel of river sand.

What maintenance: irrigation, fertilizer?

Undemanding and low maintenance, Loropetalum Chinensis is generally easygoing. The year of its planting, water it regularly. In the following years, only in times of drought.

On the other hand, add compost each year in the fall to stimulate soil life at your feet and acidify the soil.

A yellowing of the foliage, resulting in a block in iron absorption (chlorosis), frequently occurs when Loropetalum chinense is grown in pots or neutral or slightly calcareous soil.

 Cover its legs with bark or pine needles to restore balance and get very green foliage. In prevention, also add to the irrigation water (at the end of winter) a product based on iron chelate, available at points of sale under the name. antichlorosis product.

 Also, the Chinese monopetalous is magnificent in pots thanks to its good resistance! But beware of the chlorosis it points to! Photo in Odile’s garden (64) 

Should you protect yourself from the cold?

Most of the time, no, the bush is hardy enough. But in cold regions, you can house a pot-grown monopetalous under a wintering canopy or place it under a cold greenhouse or terrace.

How to prune a Chinese Parrot?

Loropetal size is not essential. If you want to intervene, do it after the flowering period, in April-May. Then pinch the ends of the twigs to balance the bush and gently highlight its pretty horizontal habit.

How to cut it?

Cuttings are made in late summer from the end of the year branches.

Where to install it in the garden?

Chinese loropetes go wonderfully with heathland shrubs: azaleas, for example, with a similar habit; other plants of the witch hazel family as well, such as witch hazel, winter flowering shrubs such as Daphne mezereum or the majestic star magnolia. It can also be planted isolated to enjoy the spectacle offered by its very horizontal shape.

A pot or bin cultivation of Loropetalum Chinese is possible, provided you opt for a large container (30 to 40 cm in diameter). Prepare a mix of equal parts regular garden soil, heather soil, and classic horticultural soil. The bush then stands out as a safe bet to decorate a sunny patio, a terrace, or a rockery.

Its evergreen foliage makes it an exciting shrub in a bed or country hedge.

Notable varieties

Loropetalum chinense fire dance

The appeal of this variety lies mainly in its dark green foliage from which purple leaves emerge several times a year. The beautiful surrounding foliage perfectly highlights its beautiful fuchsia-pink flowers. Height: 1.50m to 2m

How to Grow Loropetalum Chinese Fringe Bush 2023

Loropetalum chinense ever red

Depending on the weather, intense purple foliage and bright red flowers from March to May, with a slight rise in autumn. Height: 1.50m to 2m

Loropetalum chinense black pearl

The almost black and purple leaves of this variety are stunning! They create the ideal background highlighting a shower of tiny pink flowers. The light variant” rubrum » stands out for its darker pink flowers, almost red! Height: 1.50m

Did you know

It was given its Greek name (Lropetalum) to recall the particular shape of its petals in a strip.

Pro tip

Its naturally flexible habit and the dark tints of its evergreen foliage make monopetalous very valuable in pots on the terrace or balcony.

Edgeworthia chrysantha: A shrub with a beautiful late winter bloom Juniper Leaf Grevillea: A shrub that looks like conifers!

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