Loropetalum color bomb

March 02, 2018


‘Sizzling Pink’ loropetalum is still sizzling in the lower garden and knocking my socks off every time I look at it. Yesterday the sun was lighting up those fuchsia blooms like a stained-glass window.


The fringey flowers look like the pom-poms of a thousand cheerleaders.


So colorful!


Amid my shade garden’s quieter blue-greens and dusty greens, it stands out in a big way.


If I squint, it reminds me of springtime azaleas, which I took for granted growing up in the Deep South.


But I actually like these calamari-shaped flowers better. I also love the way the flowery branches layer themselves all the way to the ground.


Cosmo agrees. We’re both gaga over it right now!

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2nd garden--2018, Color, Containers, Dogs, Fences, Flowers, Garden art, Patios/Decks, Shrubs, Spring color, Yuccas

13 responses to “Loropetalum color bomb”

  1. Sherry says:
    March 2, 2018 at 10:41 AM

    I have a stock tank that needs something like this. It gets morning sun and filtered sun in the hot afternoon. Is this an easy plant to locate in Austin’s local nurseries? BTW – love the Cosmo photobomb. 🙂

    • Pam/Digging says:
      March 3, 2018 at 12:20 AM

      Yes, it’s very easy to find here in Austin. There are many different cultivars available, so be sure to check the plant tag for mature size if you have space restrictions. I would be a little concerned about planting it in a stock tank, however, as it tends to enjoy a little extra water in our climate, and it might dry out quickly in a tank unless you stay on the watering. —Pam

  2. Lisa at Greenbow says:
    March 2, 2018 at 10:47 AM

    That first photo nearly burned out my eyeballs. Whew, what a screaming beauty. Cosmo has it right. WOW.

  3. Kris P says:
    March 2, 2018 at 6:48 PM

    I’d be gaga over the Loropetalum too. Expressive Cosmo makes a great commentator. His face made me think of the new “My Talking Pet” app a friend introduced me to at lunch today.

  4. Anne J says:
    March 2, 2018 at 9:08 PM

    Any hints on how to make one grow as beautiful as yours? Mine is tiny and doesn’t seem to be getting bigger!

    • Pam/Digging says:
      March 3, 2018 at 12:25 AM

      I really don’t know, Anne. I have three different cultivars, and this one, ‘Sizzling Pink’, is the best performer of the three. I don’t know whether it’s just a better variety or whether it’s planted in a more congenial spot. It’s at the bottom of a slope, so I suspect it gets a little extra water there, and it’s pretty shaded but at the edge of a spot that gets a couple hours of midday sun.

      For what it’s worth, my other two have been slow growers, but now that they’re a few years old they’re starting to take off. Maybe yours just needs a little more time. Or maybe an inch of compost across the root zone this spring? —Pam

  5. deb says:
    March 3, 2018 at 7:21 AM

    Stunning!

  6. Nell says:
    March 3, 2018 at 6:20 PM

    A brilliant splash! My favorite thing about it is the way it combines with the bluish foliage you have lots of.