Loropetalum chinense
Sponsor
Kindly sponsored by a member of the International Dendrology Society.
Credits
Roderick Cameron (2025)
Recommended citation
Cameron, R. (2025), 'Loropetalum chinense' from the website Trees and Shrubs Online (treesandshrubsonline.
Common Names
- Chinese Fringe-flower
- Chinese Witch Hazel
- Chinese Fringe-bush
- Chinesische Fransenblume
- Riemenblume
- Riemenblüte
- Flor de franja china
- 木继木 ji mu
- トキワマンサクTokiwamansaku
Synonyms
- Hamamelis chinensis R.Br.
- Loropetalum indicum K.Y.Tong
- Loropetalum subcapitatum Chun ex Hung T.Chang
- Tetrathyrium simaoense Y.Y.Qian
- Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum Yieh
An evergreen small tree or large shrub, to 10 m, though dwarfer cultivars may remain well below this height, with a bushy, often very twiggy habit; branchlets crooked, wiry, covered thickly with brownish stellate down. Leaves alternate, ovate, elliptic, or, rarely, obovate, 2–6.5 × 1–3 cm, markedly unequal at the rounded or cuneate base, apex pointed or shortly acuminate, membranous, rough, glossy green (or reddish in cultivated plants) with scattered hairs above, paler and densely pubescent beneath, margin finely toothed to entire; stalk 0.2–0.5 cm long, hairy. Inflorescence terminal or axillary. Flowers very like those of Hamamelis in appearance, white, pale yellow, or red, produced in mid-winter to early spring; 3–16 crowded in a head, on a pedicel 8–10 mm long; petals 4(–6), strap-shaped, 1–2 cm long; flower-stalk and outside of calyx clothed with white stellate down. Seed-vessel a woody, ovoid, nut-like capsule 1–1.5 cm long, rare in cultivation. (Bean 1976; Zhang, Zhang & Endress 2003; Averyanov et al. 2018).
Distribution China Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang India Assam Japan Honshu (Shizuoka Prefecture, Mie Prefecture), Kyushu (Kumamoto Prefecture)
Habitat Rocky hills and dry open woods; woodlands and thickets.
USDA Hardiness Zone 7b-9
RHS Hardiness Rating H4
Awards FCC
Conservation status Not evaluated (NE)
Taxonomic note Two varieties of this species have been described. Var. rubrum is recognized by many authors (e.g. Zhang, Zhang & Endress 2003; POWO 2025), but it is not clear whether it meets the criteria for varietal status. Published by Yieh in 1942, it was described from material of garden origin and apparently distinguished by the colour of the petals, usually purple-red or red (Zhang, Zhang & Endress 2003). In 1973, Hung-Ta Chang published L. chinense f. rubrum, without referring to Yieh’s varietal name but with a similar description, distinguished mainly by its red flowers (Chang 1973); this is an illegitimate later homonym. Root sprouts of what is purportedly var. rubrum have been reported to revert from pink to white petal color and coppery to green leaf colour, suggesting it is indeed merely a form (Weakley & Southeastern Flora Team 2022). The international horticultural community seems to apply this varietal name to plants with purple or red foliage, with flowers that range from reddish-purple to pink. Many cultivars are assigned to this variety. Given the confusion regarding the definition of this taxon, it is not recognised here and all cultivars are assigned to the species, divided into two horticultural Groups according to flower colour (see Cultivars below). Another variety, var. coloratum was described in 2001 by C.Q. Huang, distinguished by red and white longitudinal vertical stripes on the petals. According to the protologue, it is found around Yonghe and Baisha in Liuyang, Hunan, China (Huang, Hu & Xia 2001). It does not appear to be in cultivation.
Loropetalum chinense is little short of a horticultural superstar, especially in its purple-to-maroon leafed, pink-flowered forms, the introduction of which Michael Dirr described as ‘the most significant happening in Zone 7 to 9 gardening’ (Dirr 2009). The species confused taxonomists when it was first discovered, and a profusion of doubtfully distinguishable cultivars confuses horticulturists today.
Native to southern China and northern India, it is also found in a few disjunct populations in Japan (Suehiro 2025). It was introduced to the United Kingdom from seed collected by Charles Maries on Mount Lushan in Jiujiang, China, in the spring of 1878 and sent back to James Veitch & Sons (Veitch 1906). The date of introduction is usually given as 1880 (e.g. Lancaster 2005; Edwards & Marshall 2019), which is when Maries returned, but presumably the seed would have been dispatched earlier, probably received in 1878, and seedlings distributed in 1880. It seems to have quickly made its mark in British horticulture: a plant raised from Maries’s seed earned a First Class Certificate from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1894 (Lancaster 2005). It was not introduced to North America till 1908, after U.S. Department of Agriculture plant explorer Frank Meyer found it widely distributed in central and western China. He collected samples near Souzhou, Jingsu. He noted that it was rarely cultivated in China and wild specimens did not transplant well (Creech 1998). The plant would not become popular in the United States until the introduction of red- and pink-flowering varieties as L. chinense var. rubrum in the 1980s (Wu et al. 2021).
Loropetalum chinense is an attractive shrub with a vase-shaped, multi-stemmed habit with arching branches. Though traditionally considered to be a shrub to around 2 or 3 m tall, it can reach 6–10 m or more, both in the wild and in cultivation if allowed to do so (Creech 1998; Plant Delights Nursery 2025). Dirr (2009) writes of trees reaching around 9 m in Japan and in cultivation in Chapel Hill, North Carolina; 100-year-old trees in Aiken, South Carolina, have reached 10 m (Clemson Cooperative Extension 2025). Flowers bloom from mid-winter to early spring, producing clusters of lightly scented white, pink, or red spidery flowers, generally blooming for 2 to 3 weeks, but scattered blossoms appear during the rest of the season. It prefers full sun with some afternoon partial shade and grows best in rich, moist, well-drained, acidic soils; it is unsuitable for shallow, chalky soils. Mulching is recommended. It will survive in cooler climates (e.g., USDA Zone 6b-7a, RHS rating H4), but will require a protected location away from winter winds. In colder areas it can be grown in a pot and placed under cover for the winter. It transplants well, and pruning after flowering is over may be needed to maintain size and shape (Dirr (2009) preaches that ‘the pruning urge’ should not be resisted if plants are growing too fast). The plants are versatile in the landscape and prove useful for borders, hedges, screens, and foundations, whether in mass, in small groups, as a specimen, an espalier, or even bonsai. Low-growing forms can serve as an effective groundcover but may require regular removal of vertical stems (North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox 2024; Clemson Cooperative Extension 2025).
Australian nurseryman Stephen Ryan (1999) praises its ‘elegant arching branches well clothed with alternating rich green puckered and pubescent leaves’ and recommends planting it on a bank or the top of a retaining wall, where it will spill over to great effect. Dirr (2009) points out that the bark, though seldom seen, is handsome: the outer bark is grey-brown and exfoliates to expose orange-brown inner bark, while old stems exfoliate in large strips of very rich brown.
Young leaves are susceptible to late frosts and plants can be injured by severe cold (e.g. –18°C, the lower limit of zone 7) (Dirr 2009). Creech (1998) similarly reported that trials in the US indicated that the species does best where temperatures do not go below that limit. It is marginal in the UK and northern Europe. Bean (1976) recommended the species for trial only in the mildest parts of Britain and Ireland, but suggested that introductions from Japan may yield hardier plants. A plant of Chinese origin grown in Totnes, Devon, survived the winters of the 90s, which were colder than average, flowering well and not suffering winter dieback. However, it died in a prolonged cold spell that went down to –10 °C (J.Sutton pers. comm. 2025). Some cultivars are reported to be hardier than others, e.g. ‘Zhouzhou Fuchsia’ (see below). In Australian gardens, the limitation is excessive heat and dryness rather than frost, so a location with morning sun or filtered light all day is recommended (Ryan 1999).
Plants are easily propagated by taking semi-ripe cuttings from the current year’s growth in mid to late summer, removed with a heel and inserted into gritty, moisture-retentive compost set over gentle bottom heat. Cuttings will root in as little as four weeks (Fisher 2022). Dirr (2009) recommends that the rooting medium should not hold too much moisture or the cuttings will rot: cuttings root easily in a 3-to-1 perlite-peat medium, and they should be weaned from mist as soon as rooted. Layering also works well, though it takes around a year (Fisher 2022). Seeds germinate readily outside under natural conditions, and selections have been made from random seedlings. A protocol of 3 months warm moist stratification, followed by 3 months cold moist stratification has yielded good germination. Seedlings will not necessarily come true to the parent, and even with seed collected from purple-foliaged, pink-flowered plants, a number of the seedlings may emerge with green leaves and white flowers (Dirr 2009).
Loropetalum chinense has few pest or disease problems, but root rot can be an issue in poorly drained soils, while chlorosis may occur in alkaline soils (Clemson Cooperative Extension 2025). In the southeastern USA, a bacterial gall disease caused by Pseudomonas savastanoi was detected in 2012; it can result in limb dieback and plant death (Conner et al. 2013). Dirr (2009) reports a distorted condition in purple-leaf types, linked to copper deficiency, especially in container-grown plants, but also observed on in-ground plants.
Wu et al. (2021) report that the plant is important in folk medicine, though this has been poorly studied. They report that it is often used to treat traumatic bleeding and has been shown to speed wound healing in rats. Flavonoids, tannins, fatty acids, phenolic substances, and organic acids are among the ingredients of medicinal value the plant contains.
A variety with pink-to-purple flowers and dark-red foliage was discovered in Tianxin Garden, Changsha, Hunan, in 1938 by the renowned Chinese forest scientist Piezhong Ye (or Yieh) (Wu et al. 2021). He described it as L. chinense var. rubrum, but it is not clear it meets the traditional criteria for a variety, i.e. separate wild populations (see Taxonomic Note above). According to Wu et al. (2021), the variety can be found growing naturally scattered in the low-elevation areas of Mount Liouxao at the border of Hunan and Jiangxi Provinces, but it does not breed true, and leaf colour in seedlings is often unstable; Dirr (2009), in contrast, claims that var. rubrum ‘will produce relatively true-to-type from seed.’ The name was, however, taken up enthusiastically when red-flowering varieties were introduced to cultivation. Cultivars have proliferated, causing confusion, and their nomenclature is now ‘in disarray’ (Edwards & Marshall 2019). A 1996 study found that many selections had been introduced to North America since the 1980s by different individuals, but the plant material had been obtained from the same sources, leading to different cultivars being named from the same material. Analysis based on DNA markers indicated the presence of four groupings, with many of the introductions having at least one or two closely related selections (Gawel, Johnson & Sauve 1996). An article published in China by Hou et al. (2003) came up with a classification system consisting of 3 groups, 15 forms, and 41 varieties, according to leaf form, leaf colour, florescence, flower colour, branch density, and colour of phloem, xylem, and fibre. This classification has not been widely adopted, at least not outside China. In 1999, while the situation was still manageable, the United States National Arboretum presented two of the first pink-flowered selections to be brought to the USA, ‘Blush’ and ‘Burgundy’, with flowers ‘to knock your socks off’ (United States National Arboretum 1999). These cultivars had been first propagated in 1989 and duly registered in 1993 (Vrugtman 1994). However, the situation since then has spiralled somewhat out of control, and a surfeit of selections can be found in the nursery trade, mostly with flowers in the range of fuchsia to purple, but also white-flowered and dwarf cultivars.
Below is a selected list of cultivars, which should cover most of the characteristics found in cultivation.
Red-flowered Group
Plants with red-to-purple foliage and pink-to-reddish flowers have traditionally been referred to var. rubrum. However, it is not clear that this variation meets the criteria for varietal status. A sounder approach is to treat them as a Cultivar Group. Cultivars of these characteristics are listed here under the name ‘Red-flowered Group’, while cultivars with white flowers typical of the species are listed under ‘White-flowered Group’ regardless of foliage colour.
'Beni Hime'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense JAZZ HANDS MINI®
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense JAZZ HANDS MINI®
A ground-covering dwarf cultivar, with a completely prostrate habit and no mounding. Leaves very small, ovate, dark red above and greyish-green below. Flowers are bright pink (Suzuki 2016). According to Zancan (2020) it is one of the smallest selections available, only 25 to 30 cm tall with a spread of 45 to 60 cm.
'Blush'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense 'Mansaku'
Loropetalum chinense 'Monraz'
Loropetalum chinense RAZZLEBERRI™
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense 'Mansaku'
Loropetalum chinense 'Monraz'
Loropetalum chinense RAZZLEBERRI™
Together with ‘Burgundy’, this was one of the first red-flowered forms introduced to the United States, obtained from Nihon Kaki Nursery, Kawaguchi, Japan, by J.L. Creech for the U.S. National Arboretum. According to Creech, in January 1989 Sylvester March, a horticulturist at the U.S. National Arboretum, noticed a photograph and brief description in a Japanese horticulture magazine of a red-flowered form of Loropetalum chinense of Chinese origin. He asked Creech, who was travelling to Japan in autumn 1989, to try to locate some of these plants. Creech visited Tomazu Masuda in Kawaguchi, who let him take his pick from his stock of L. chinense plants. Creech chose the ones with the most distinctive foliage colour, as they were not in flower. The plants were propagated at the U.S. National Arboretum, and Creech and March were astounded by the shocking pink flowers that emerged, in stark contrast to the creamy white flowers they were accustomed to for the species. This marked a breakthrough for the plant in horticulture, a phenomenon Creech has likened to the emergence of a charismatic actor: ‘the red-leaved, pink-flowered forms of Loreopetalum chinense have been the Leonardo di Caprio of the gardening world.’ March named and registered ‘Blush’ and ‘Burgundy’ in 1991 (Creech 1998). ‘Blush’ is more compact than ‘Burgundy’, denser and fuller without pruning or shaping, at least at first; in time, plants may become loose and gangly. New leaves emerge bronze-red, then mature to olive green; the flowers are rich fuchsia-pink, 5–10 per cluster. Subsequently reintroduced from the same nursery and sold under different names (United States National Arboretum 1999; Dirr 2009).
'Burgundy'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense 'Akabana'
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense 'Akabana'
One of the first red-flowering forms to be introduced, together with ‘Blush’ (see above). New leaves red-purple, older foliage dark reddish-purple to dark olive-green; leaves may turn orange-red in autumn in colder areas where it is not completely evergreen. Flowers shocking pink, 4–7 per cluster. Container-grown plants display groundcover-like constitution but produce upright arching shoots by the end of the first growing season. Grows fast and will soon reach 2 to 3 m in height and width. Pruning is required to maintain a dense, full plant and to prevent it becoming unattractively open and thinly foliaged (United States National Arboretum 1999; Dirr 2009).
'Chang Nian Hong'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense EVER RED®
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense EVER RED®
According to Michael Dirr, this is the best cultivar for intensity of foliage and flower colours: ‘one of the most beautiful plants to cross my path.’ Leaves dark red-purple, keeping their colour in all conditions (sun, shade, heat, drought). Flowers vivid, deep red. Grows to around 1.5 m tall, with a spreading habit. Introduced by Mark Griffith of Griffith Propagation Nursery, Watkinsville, Georgia, USA (Dirr 2009; Monrovia 2025; RHS 2025).
'Darkfire'
This mid-sized cultivar has very dark plum foliage that remains purple even during the heat of the summer. Grows 2.5–3 m tall and wide. The flowers are brilliant reddish-pink, blooming in spring and fall. Similar to ‘Kurobijin’, but the foliage is even darker (Zancan 2020; Clemson Cooperative Extension 2025).
'Daruma'
A dwarf shrub with a compact habit, full and dense when young. The foliage, a rich reddish purple, holds its colour persistently through the season. Flowers hot pink. Usually grows 0.5 to 1.2 m tall and spreads 1 to 1.5 m. Similar to ‘Ruby’ but a more compact version. Selected by Rick Crowder of Hawksridge Farms, Hickory, North Carolina, USA (Dirr 2009; Zancan 2025).
'Daybreak's Flame'
Leaves emerge deep bronze, turning green as the season progresses. Flowers bright pink. Develops into a rounded form with arching branches, eventually reaching 2 × 3 m. Introduced by Piroche Plants, Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, Canada (Edwards & Marshall 2019; Oregon State University 2025).
'Fire Dance'
Leaves emerge a rich ruby red and change to shiny reddish-purple, later turning green with only traces of reddish pigment in the lower veins and petiole. Flowers dark pink. A rapid grower, developing an upright arching habit, rounded to vase-shaped, 3.5–4.5 m tall and wide. A selection from China, introduced by Piroche Plants of Pitte Meadows, British Columbia, Canada. According to Dirr, it was distributed under the trademark FIRE DANCE™, but the name has apparently not been registered, and the plant is generally found under ‘Fire Dance’ (i.e. a cultivar name rather than a trademarked selling name). Dirr reports that more than one clone has been distributed under the trademarked name FIRE DANCE. Piroche selected the best red foliage form and named it ‘Pipa’s Red’, which according to Dirr is indistinguishable from ‘Zhouzhou Fuchsia’ (Dirr 2009).
'GriffCRL'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense LITTLE ROSE DAWN®
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense LITTLE ROSE DAWN®
Discovered in 1996 as a naturally occurring branch mutation of ‘Ruby’ (see below). It tends to spread slightly more, reaching about 3.5 m across, while maintaining great compactness. Flowers are a vibrant fuchsia, appearing in abundance for two weeks in spring and again in autumn. Its foliage initially grows a rich burgundy colour that progressively turns to green. Introduced by Mark Griffith of Griffith Propagation Nursery, Watkinsville, Georgia, USA (Zancan 2020; Griffith 2006).
'Hines Purpleleaf'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense 'Burgundy Blast'
Loropetalum chinense 'Hines Burgundy'
Loropetalum chinense PETITE DELIGHT®
Loropetalum chinense PIZAZZ™
Loropetalum chinense PIZZAZZTM
Loropetalum chinense PLUM DELIGHT®
Loropetalum chinense 'Purple Majesty'
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense 'Burgundy Blast'
Loropetalum chinense 'Hines Burgundy'
Loropetalum chinense PETITE DELIGHT®
Loropetalum chinense PIZAZZ™
Loropetalum chinense PIZZAZZTM
Loropetalum chinense PLUM DELIGHT®
Loropetalum chinense 'Purple Majesty'
Attractive reddish-purple foliage, given high nutrition and moisture. Flowers hot pink. More compact, relatively tight ,habit reaching about 4.5 m tall and about 3.5 m wide at maturity. Introduced by Hines Nursery, California, USA. In Dirr’s opinion, ‘Burgundy Blast’ and ‘Purple Majesty’, seen in Texan nurseries, were renames of this clone, hence our listing them as synonyms or alternative names (Dirr 2009). .
'Irodori'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense JAZZ HANDS VARIEGATED®
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense JAZZ HANDS VARIEGATED®
Distinguished by its variegated foliage, which emerges splashed with pink and white and matures to a deep purple. Flowers are dark pink, reblooming after an initial heavy flowering in spring. Slightly smaller than ‘Kurenai Daiou’, it has an upright and spreading habit, reaching 1.2–1.8 m tall and 1.2 m wide. Selected by Yuji Suzuki and introduced by Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc., Grand Haven, Michigan, USA (Zancan 2020; Suzuki 2016).
'Kurenai'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense JAZZ HANDS® PINK
Loropetalum chinense JAZZ HANDS® DWARF PINK
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense JAZZ HANDS® PINK
Loropetalum chinense JAZZ HANDS® DWARF PINK
A dwarf evergreen shrub that tends to spread wider than it grows tall, reaching 0.3–1 m tall and around 1 m wide. It has a mounded habit, burgundy foliage that turns bright red in autumn, and bright pink flowers. Selected by Yuji Suzuki for Spring Meadows Nursery, Inc., Grand Haven, Michigan, USA (Zancan 2020; Suzuki 2016).
'Kurenai Daiou'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense JAZZ HANDS BOLDTM
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense JAZZ HANDS BOLDTM
A plant with a dense, upright habit, reaching 3–3.5 m tall and 3 m wide. The rounded leaves are larger than other cultivars (6 × 4.4 cm) and emerge pink, later turning burgundy. The magenta-pink flowers are also larger than average, with petals 2.4 cm long. Selected by Yuji Suzuki and introduced by Spring Meadow Nursery Inc, Grand Haven, Michigan, USA (Zancan 2020; Suzuki 2016)
'Kurobijin'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense CERISE CHARMTM
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense CERISE CHARMTM
Dwarf shrub, 1–1.2 m tall and wide. The small, oval-shaped leaves maintain their dark plum colour throughout the year. Flowers are deep red-purple, blooming about 3 to 4 weeks later than is typical of other cultivars. Selected by Yuri Suzuki, Kawaguchi City, Japan (Zancan 2020; Suzuki 2012).
'Ming Dynasty'
Dwarf clone to around 1.5 m high, with a spreading habit. New foliage purple, turning dark green. Flowers bright pink. Introduced by Costin Nursery, Ireland (Dirr 2009; RHS 2025).
'Peack'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense PURPLE PIXIE®
Loropetalum chinense 'Shang-Lo'
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense PURPLE PIXIE®
Loropetalum chinense 'Shang-Lo'
A small, ground-covering clone reaching 60 cm high × 1–1.5 m wide. Leaves burgundy, lower surface deep violet, leaf blade 3.5–4.5 cm long × 2.5–3 cm wide. A seedling of ‘Plum Delight’, discovered in 2002, patented by James Bryan Berry of Flowerwood Nursery, Loxley, Alabama, USA (Dirr 2009).
'Pearl'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense BLACK PEARL®
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense BLACK PEARL®
A compact evergreen shrub, reaching a mature height of 1.5 m, notable for the striking contrast offered by its rich dark purple foliage and deep pink fringed flowers. Introduced by Valkplant in the Netherlands and available in nurseries in Europe and the UK (Valkplant 2025; J.Parker’s 2025). According to Zancan (2020), it is slow-growing compared to other cultivars.
'PIILC-I'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense CRIMSON FIRETM
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense CRIMSON FIRETM
A dwarf clone, 0.5–1.2 m tall × 1.2–1.5 m wide, with a compact, mounded, spreading habit. Its brilliant deep pink flowers contrast well with the red-purple foliage. Leaf colour persists through summer and winter. It has proved hardier than other compact purple-leaf cultivars. Introduced by Plant Introductions Inc., Watkinsville, Georgia, USA (Zancan 2020; Kardos 2015).
'PILC-III'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense PURPLE DAYDREAMTM
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense PURPLE DAYDREAMTM
A mounded, compact shrub, growing 0.5–1 m high and 1–1.2 m wide. Foliage dark purple, persisting through summer and winter. Flowers dark pink. Hardier than other compact purple-leaf cultivars. Selected from spontaneous seedlings of an open-pollinated ‘GriffCRL’ (see above) at Plant Introductions Inc., Watkinsville, Georgia, USA. Introduced in 2013 (Zancan 2020; Kardos 2014).
'Pipa's Red'
A seedling of ‘Fire Dance’ with long, narrow burgundy or purplish-black leaves of a colour more intense and persistent than its parent; flowers hot pink (Dirr 2009). Over time makes a small tree to 2.5 m tall × 2 m wide; very cold hardy (Xera Plants Inc. 2025). In Dirr’s opinion, this cultivar is the same as ‘Zhuzhou Fuchsia’. Introduced by Piroche Plants, Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, Canada (Dirr 2009).
'Ruby'
Leaves ruby-red when young, may turn green; more rounded and undulating than other cultivars. Flowers pink. Reaches 2–3.5 m tall and wide. Introduced by Ying Qiang Huo of Oriental Trees and Plants, Inc., Athens, Georgia, USA (Dirr 2009; Flowerwood Nursery Inc. 2025).
'Shang-hi'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense PURPLE DIAMOND™
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense PURPLE DIAMOND™
Foliage intense dark red-maroon throughout the growing season. Flowers vibrant pink in spring, sometimes in summer. Compact, rounded, with spreading-arching, layered branches, the centre somewhat open, reaching 1.2–1.5 m tall and 1–1.2 m wide. Introduced by Flowerwood Nursery, Loxley, Alabama, USA (Dirr 2009).
'Shang-Red'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense RED DIAMOND™
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense RED DIAMOND™
A compact shrub reputed to have ‘the reddest bloom of all cultivars’ (Southern Living Plant Collection 2025). Foliage dark burgundy, persisting throughout the year. Very similar to ‘Shang-hi’ (see above), except in the colour of the flowers. Reaches 1.5–1.8 m tall and 1.2–1.8 m wide. Introduced by Southern Living Plant Collection, origin unknown (Missouri Botanical Garden 2025).
'Tang Dynasty'
Leaves emerge burgundy, later turning green. Flowers bright pink. Spreading habit to around 1.2 m tall. Selected by Costin Nursery, Kilcock, Kildare, Ireland (Edwards & Marshall 2019; RHS 2025).
'Zhouzhou Fuchsia'
Distinguished by its very dark maroon leaf colour, generally persisting even in hot summers, though foliage may turn purple-green under heat and drought stress. Flowers deep red-pink. Upright habit with strong ascending branches. Can be trained as a standard or espaliered on trellises and walls. According to Dirr, it is ‘half to a full zone hardier than other pink forms’ (Fisher 1998). Introduced by Ying Qiang Huo from Zhuzhou, Hunan, China, in 1991 to the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, USA. According to Dirr, this cultivar is the same as ‘Pipa’s Red’, which was selected from the original FIRE DANCE™ and introduced by Piroche Plants of Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, Canada (Dirr 2009).
White-flowered Group
This Cultivar Group covers selections with white flowers and, usually, green foliage typical of the species.
'NCI002'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense CAROLINA MOONLIGHT®
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense CAROLINA MOONLIGHT®
White-flowering form with a compact habit. It can easily be maintained at 1–1.2 m, with a slightly greater spread. Abundant flowers. Foliage yellow-green when young, later green, but a lighter green than the species. Discovered in North Augusta, South Carolina, USA, in 2001, introduced by Ted Stephens, Nurseries Caroliniana, South Carolina, USA (Stephens 2008; Dirr 2009).
'Shang-white'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense EMERALD SNOW®
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense EMERALD SNOW®
New leaves lime-green, later glossy dark green. Flowers white, flowering in spring and sporadically through summer and fall. Reaches 1–1.2 m tall and wide. Discovered by Robert E. Lee in Liberty, Lousiana, USA, introduced by Flowerwood Nursery, Alabama (Dirr 2009; Flowerwood Nursery Inc. 2025).
'Snow Dance'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense SNOW DANCETM
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense SNOW DANCETM
A compact, shrubby clone with abundant white flowers. Leaves are olive green, smaller than the species. Initially slow growing, reaching 3 m high and wide. Introduced by Piroche Plants, Pitt Meadows, British Columbia, Canada (Dirr 2009).
'Snow Panda'
Stunning snow-white flowers and exceptional sage-green foliage. Loosely vase-shaped habit with arching branches,reaching 3.5 m high and 2.5 m wide after 15 years. Originated from seeds collected in Hubei, China, in 1994 (NACPEC WD-121). Selected in 2006 by the U.S. National Arboretum in cooperation with Monrovia Growers, Visalia, California, USA; introduced 2011 (Lura & Whittemore 2018; Monrovia 2023).
'Snowmound'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense SNOW MUFFIN®
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense SNOW MUFFIN®
Characterised by its compact and procumbent growth when young, later developing a globose mound of descending branches with age. Foliage dark green, becoming darker as the plant ages. The revolute, wrinkled leaves are shorter and narrower than other cultivars. Grows 0.3–1 m tall and up to 1 m wide. Introduced by Robert Head, Head Ornamentals Inc., Seneca, South Carolina, USA (Zancan 2020; Head 2001). Dirr (2009), though impressed by the commercial potential for the plant, reports that it does not grow vigorously and growers have had difficulty producing sale-quality plants.
'sPg-3-002'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense IWAIPBR
Loropetalum chinense RUBY SNOW™
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense IWAIPBR
Loropetalum chinense RUBY SNOW™
A striking combination of bronze foliage and white flowers. Small-statured, about 50 cm × 80 cm. Discovered by Yuji Suzuki in 2003, as a sport of an unnamed pink-flowered form (Rice 2020).
'Suzuki'Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense JAZZ HANDS NIGHT MOVES®
Synonyms / alternative names
Loropetalum chinense JAZZ HANDS NIGHT MOVES®
Although possibly commercially extinct, this is an attractive clone with burgundy foliage that emerges in spring with pink, green, and white variegation. White flowers with a very slight pink flush. Compact and cascading habit (Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc. 2019).
'Tokyo Weeping'
This cultivar is distinguished by its strongly pendulous habit. The leaves are green and flowers white, as is typical of the species. As a young plant, it needs to be staked to gain some height, otherwise it behaves like a ground cover. Found in Tokyo by Don Shadow and presumably introduced by Shadow Nursery of Winchester, Tennessee, USA, date unknown (Garden Treasures 2025). Said to be very rare in cultivation, but a specimen grows at JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, North Carolina (JC Raulston Arboretum 2025).