Chinese fringe flower, Plum Delight cultivar, is a one of the most pleasant flowering plants for bonsai in Houston. I have three trees of this cultivar, 21 to 24" tall, on my bonsai bench. They have been putting out a profusion of flowers since last November, a very pleasant sight when I go out watering bonsai during the drab winter days.
I think it is an overlooked plants for bonsai, probably because it was introduced to the US only in 1987 as ornamental plants; so the care experience as bonsai is somewhat lacking. There are several care sheets on the internet, but they may not work well for your local weather. I chose Plum Delight cultivar because it is everywhere as roadside and front yard ornamental plants, a ubiquitous shrub in Houston, easy care, exposes to summer heat and winter cold all the same.
I have mine in full sun. They withstand our summer heat. It does not need winter protection in our relatively mild winter (zone 9) except when night temperatures drop to below 30F; I simply put the plants on the ground, no cover. It flowers a lot. After flowerings, around mid April, the leaves turn from green to burgundy, They lit up brightly when the sun hits those burgundy leaves, rivaling the fall color of Japanese maples but without the burn, see the fourth photo.
When I visited the Penjing garden in China's Suzhou garden, they have humongous Loropetalum penjing, shown in the last photo.
My blog: https://bonsaipenjing.wordpress.com/
I think it is an overlooked plants for bonsai, probably because it was introduced to the US only in 1987 as ornamental plants; so the care experience as bonsai is somewhat lacking. There are several care sheets on the internet, but they may not work well for your local weather. I chose Plum Delight cultivar because it is everywhere as roadside and front yard ornamental plants, a ubiquitous shrub in Houston, easy care, exposes to summer heat and winter cold all the same.
I have mine in full sun. They withstand our summer heat. It does not need winter protection in our relatively mild winter (zone 9) except when night temperatures drop to below 30F; I simply put the plants on the ground, no cover. It flowers a lot. After flowerings, around mid April, the leaves turn from green to burgundy, They lit up brightly when the sun hits those burgundy leaves, rivaling the fall color of Japanese maples but without the burn, see the fourth photo.
When I visited the Penjing garden in China's Suzhou garden, they have humongous Loropetalum penjing, shown in the last photo.
My blog: https://bonsaipenjing.wordpress.com/
