Sunday, April 4, 2010

A plant's natural beauty

Loropetalum has become one of the most popular landscape plants in the southeastern United States over the last ten years. Cultivars like 'Plum Delight,' 'Ever Red,' 'Ruby,' and 'Daruma' are available at every garden center.

Most often, these plants are sold as small shrubs and are used as foundation plantings. I don't think that shearing this plant and keeping it small allows this plant to really strut its stuff.

Did you know that most of these cultivars will naturally grow 15-feet tall if left unpruned? It is a beautiful specimen tree if you allow it to be itself:

Not only it is an incredible sight when it flowers in the spring but the evergreen leaves are a rich, deep burgundy color.What do you think?

3 comments:

  1. That's a beautiful plant. Not common in the UK but very striking as a tree.

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  2. Many of these have been planted around here, few have been allowed to grow into beautiful trees. Most have become yet another evergreen for landscape crews to turn into rigid cubes and spheres.

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  3. HappyMouffetard- It would probably do well in the U.K. if it can grow here. Everything seems to grow there!

    Les-- I know! It's become the new holly in a way...grossly overused as a foundation plant....but I'm loving it as a small tree.

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