You heard it here first. The Purple Pixies are coming! Just watch how fast this plant takes over the residential and commercial landscape in the next few years!
At long last, here is a plant that we will be seeing a lot more of in the future as it will find a spot in almost any garden in Zones 7 to 10! The plant is Loropetalum chinensis ‘Shang-lo’ commonly known as Purple Pixie Loropetalum.
Like other loropetalums, Purple Pixie is evergreen and has beautiful burgundy foliage combined with showy pink blossoms that almost always repeat bloom. Loropetalums do well in both sun and shade, but bloom best with more sun. So far, the loropetalums appear to be resistant to both disease and insect damage. What more could you ask for in a plant? I’ll tell you. Unlike the other Chinese loropetalums, Purple Pixie is dwarf and has a weeping and cascading habit. This plant grows only one to two feet in height by four to five feet wide! What a great choice for ground covers for sun or container gardening!
The strong points of the loropetalums for me have been their ability to form a dense architectural hedge. Also, their deep burgundy foliage adds year-round color to the garden and contrasts nicely with other evergreens. Their dense foliage also complements other evergreen plants such as boxwoods and hollies. The downside of the plant is that too many landscapers have planted it without paying any regard to the size this plant wants to grow, sometimes as large as 20-feet tall and wide! Because of this, often times these plants are the victim of the wrong plant in the wrong place. For this reason, I have always specified the “Ruby” variety that only grows three to six feet tall and wide.
With Purple Pixie, this will change. Now we’ve got a beautiful dense groundcover for sun that won’t overtake the garden! My prediction is that this plant will catch on like wildfire!
Am I likely to have seen these around Atlanta? Om the garden stores? I can't quite get a bead on it from the pictures.
ReplyDeleteTerry, I am sure you have seen loropetalums all over Atlanta, but they are the larger version - big evergreen burgandy shrubs. In time, you will see a lot more of the smaller "Pink Pixie" variety. Lower, creeping ground covers. Thanks for stopping by!
ReplyDeleteIt's in the gardening plan! Available now at more and more places. Hoping to get some in this fall. Great color contrast- am hoping it's as easy peasy as the carpet rose that I've fallen head over heels for.!
ReplyDeleteThis is a lovely rich colour. I wonder if we have that plant in England I'll have to look it up.
ReplyDeleteAdele
Mmmm... purple pixies, must have...
ReplyDeleteI love it!! But I'm in Zone 4 :-( I wonder if it might be sold as an annual here...
ReplyDeleteKelly @ DesignTies
sounds like the perfect finale to my plantings by the pool here in Virginia especially blending well with the pink things I have planted. But...and this is a Big But......how will it do in the awful red clay like soil we have? ugh! Thanks so much for visiting the Vintage Nest and entering my give-away. Have a great week! ~ Lynn
ReplyDeletecan purple pixie grow in las cruces nm. would a half day
ReplyDeleteshade be best. thanks Sharon
Hello Anonymous- the answer is YES! I think Loropetalum C. 'Purple pixie' will grow very well in Las Cruces!
DeleteI have several of these, they only get morning sun. The leaves are now starting to turn a little orange and seem to be falling off. Is this normal to lose some leaves in the fall?
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting this post. It really depends on where you live and what plant zone you are in. I am in Zone 8 and loropetalums here can take a full day of sun. If the leaves are dropping on your evergreens, possibly are you over-watering? Good luck!
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