Fringe Flower Shrubs Growing Zones, Planting and Care Tips, Chinese Fringe

How To Identify Fringe Flower (Fringe Flower Growth Rate)

If you’re curious about the origin of this fascinating plant, you will be surprised to learn that it was introduced into the United States way back in the 1880s, has since become naturalized, and grows in USDA planting zones seven to nine.

The purple-leafed variety only came to the American shores in the late ‘90s, but thanks to the plant’s ability to grow anywhere from 6 to 24 inches a year, it has become a gardener’s go-to shrub and you can use it as ground cover or as a creative design feature.

Fringe Flower Leaves

The fact that the evergreen leaves, whether green or bold purple, are on display year-round only adds to their popularity in your garden. In fact, you will find that the broad, thick, and sometimes variegated leaves are one of the main identifying traits of the Fringe flower, Loropetalum chinense.¹

Just as with the prominently colored leaves, the flowers are instantly recognizable by their almost wispy nature, with colors ranging from white, cream, pink, and deep red.

Chinese Fringe Flower Shrub

From dwarf shrubs that don’t reach more than a foot in height to larger varieties that reach ten feet, you can always tell them apart by looking at the size and number of their leaves and blossoms.

In every way, they are remarkable, eye-catching, and distinct.

Loropetalum Hedges and Loropetalum Varieties

It’s fair to say that one of the outstanding trademarks of the Fringe flower is its versatility. You will quickly discover that they can be planted next to other types of trees that are taller and still manage to attract their own fair share of wanted attention.

Not only will your glorious Fringe tree be able to nestle alongside other types of evergreen trees, but because of its impressive foliage, flowers, and dense branching, it is often used as a privacy tree along property lines.

(Image: Misolonax¹²)

How long does it take for a tree to grow to your desired height doesn’t matter, as you’ll be enjoying the sights and smells of your trees every step of the way. But if four years is too long for you to wait for them to reach full maturity, then there are several types of Fringe flowers that will grow within a year or two into a hedge high enough to ensure your privacy.

1. Jazz Hands Night Moves

An unusual mix of rich plum-colored leaves and pure white blooms looks remarkable when this medium-sized Loropetalum is grown as a hedge on a boundary line. It grows to a height of about four feet, and the burgundy leaves are a welcoming and permanent fixture all year round.²

2. Jazz Hands Bold

Blessed with similar maroon-colored foliage, the large flowers are a lighter shade of pink to add a nice decorative contrast. With this plant, you will have the privacy that you’re looking for as well as the aesthetic design for your newly renovated landscape.

3. L. chinense ‘Emerald Snow’

Just perfect for your small garden, the Emerald Snow grows to a height of 5 feet and is just as wide, and it appears that the green leaves are being overrun by the abundance of white flowers peppering its branches.

4. L. chinense ‘Blush’

This gorgeous plant may reach a height of six feet and a width of four to five feet, and it was one of the first varieties with red flowers when it initially appeared in the nursery trade. An impressive feature in coastal regions is the way the fresh green leaves mingle with the rose-red ones.

5. L. chinense ‘Fire Dance’

This particular type of Fringe flower is suitable to grow in containers just as much as it is for hedges. It will grow quickly to heights of three or six feet and display lustrously dense red foliage that turns green as the plant matures.

The beauty of having a Fringe flower plant in your garden is that you will not be limited just to the normal varying types of white flowers, but your landscape can be exposed to reds, pinks, yellows, and purple shades from the same species.

Tree Pollination and Pollinators for Chinese Bushes

You will quickly discover that to increase their chances of continued survival, Fringe flowers use enticing attractants to aid in the tree pollination process that bees just can’t resist.

This alluring and irresistible process takes place more often during flowering, although bees continually pop in regularly for brief visits throughout the summer.

Apart from luring in bees, you will soon see that the Fringe flower also has a clever mechanism to guarantee effective pollen transfer by attracting butterflies to help in propagation.

They attract moths, beetles, birds, and even hoverfly insects that play their part in disseminating the seeds to guarantee that the next generation of Fringe flowers will be coming to an area near you soon.⁴

Fringe Flower Shrubs Growing Zones and Fringe Flower Facts

Thriving in USDA zones 7-9, the Fringe flower is the type of plant gardeners in zones 1-6 wish they could have in their front yard.

(Image: Daderot¹³)

Those homeowners lucky enough to reside in the right area are able to take advantage of a couple of facts surrounding this incredibly attractive and diverse plant.

1. Some species have been known to survive for over 100 years.
2. Other specimens, growing in their natural habitats without the guidance and planting tips for Fringe flowers from experienced landscapers, have grown to heights of 35 feet.
3. Although non-toxic, if the leaves or flowers are consumed by small children or pets, it can cause an upset stomach.

Why Have Companion Plants For Growing Fringe Flowers?

When cultivating Fringe flowers in your front yard, it’s always best to pair them with plants that either match or contrast with the colors or even complement the textures of the leaves.

You have to consider the overall look of your landscape when planning a complete overhaul or a brand-new design, or you can easily risk having your plants clash style-wise against each other. Worse, appearing just plain boring and uninspiring with rows of plants of the same size and color; which should never be your end goal.

Now, although it is common practice to put shorter plants at the front of a flower bed and taller ones at the rear, it is equally crucial to vary the height of the plants planted throughout the length of the flower beds to add aesthetic appeal.

To achieve this effect, you should use so-called “filler” plants in addition to other specimens and accent plants to elevate your design plan. This can be done at any stage of the planting and planning process as you discover different plants and experiment with different floral species.

When planting, don’t be hesitant to move taller plants to the front and lower-growing fillers to the back for contrast. These height changes can serve to draw attention to certain areas, with often impressive results.

Yet be aware at the same time to keep in mind the specific care requirements of each plant before planting them closely together.

Take care that the companion plants you are sowing right next to your purple Fringe flower don’t require more space as they grow and spread out or need a whopping eight hours of blazing sunshine a day in order to stay alive.

If a plant like that were placed alongside a Fringe flower that is happy with just three hours a day and partial shade, you would quickly be growing your own problems that would rear their burnt-out flowery heads in the not-too-distant future.

Always consider and research how much sunlight a specific area in your yard gets, and choose plants that will enjoy a similar level of daily light exposure.

Soil and water requirements for plants are other factors to think about when choosing which plants will make suitable neighbors.⁵ Some roots do not do well when they become too wet, while others absorb water so fast that they can easily become parched without your noticing, nestled as they are in soil that you thought was moist enough for all.

Confirm which ones are on the same watering level, as it’s always best if you can water your flowers and plants as one group rather than constantly worrying why some leaves are yellowing and wilting sadly and others are glowing gloriously.

To create a multi-tiered planting zone where all the flora are harmonious, be sure that all their requirements are in the same range for nutrients, water, and sunlight and, of course, look good together.

In the case of companion plants for Fringe Flower shrubs, use plants that will help balance it’s appearance and utilize the same soil and watering requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions About Fringe Flower