Plant of the Week
Loropetalum chinense 'Plum Gorgeous'
Each week, OGV sub-committee member, Gayle Parkes presents the 'Plant of the Week'. She also posts to OGV's Instagram - make sure you check back weekly for her latest post. This week Gayle brings us the alluring Loropetalum chinense 'Plum Gorgeous'.
Loropetalum is a genus of four species of shrubs or small trees in the witch-hazel family, Hamamelidaceae, native to China, Japan, and south-eastern Asia.
There are two main forms of Loropetalum, sometimes referred to as the Chinese Fringe Flower. Popular in our garden centres are those with white to pale yellow flowers and green foliage and the pink-flowering varieties with deeper bronze and plum foliage.
For me though, one variety is an absolute standout ….. Lorapetalum chinense 'Plum Gorgeous'. It really is a no fuss solution to many uses in the home garden, and as a bonus, requires minimal maintenance once established.
It was bred right here in Australia and is charming gardeners around the country, thanks to its graceful, compact and pendulous form.
L. chinense 'Plum Gorgeous' certainly lives up to its name with its stunning foliage. It boasts the deepest, darkest plum-coloured foliage found amongst Loropetalums and retains this brilliant colour all year round.
But it’s in Spring and again in Autumn when it really comes into its own, adding even more allure to the plant with its showy swathes of tassel-like flowers. Clusters of flowering ribbons smother the bush, ranging in colour from bright magenta to vivid deep raspberry to hot pink, making for a truly breathtaking display.
Growing to approximately 1.5m high and 2m wide L. chinense 'Plum Gorgeous' enjoys full sun or part shade. This fabulous shrub grows well in most soils that are well draining. Once established water requirements are low but do not allow it to dry out over extended periods of heat. No pruning is generally required other than shaping to style. A light trim after flowering will, however, help to maintain a neat, compact shape. It will appreciate an application of a slow release fertiliser after flowering. The good news is L. chinense 'Plum Gorgeous' is relatively pest and disease free.
Naturally dense and compact, this versatile shrub can be almost anything you want it to be. As you can see by the images shown, with its delightfully horizontal branching habit, it naturally lends itself beautifully, planted en masse, to an informal low growing hedge. How magnificent does it look, as a backdrop to the glorious hot pink blossoms of the Cercis canadensis, both vying for our attention at the same time!
Equally perfect, it also shines when grown as a feature plant in a container, or as a specimen plant in a garden border. Whichever way you choose to feature your L. chinense 'Plum Gorgeous' it is sure to make a statement. It is the kind of plant that would not look out of place in any style of garden, be it oriental, contemporary or cottage-style. Is there an area in your garden that could do with a sweep of deep purple? Imagine it growing amongst some brilliant blue salvias, or the lime green of different varieties of euphorbias. The options are endless, only limited by our imaginations. You couldn’t go past this low maintenance, drought and frost tolerant staple. It’s such a “good do-er”. I’m getting excited. It’s not long now before the garden centres open….. I’m going to need a trailer!!!