This shrub to small tree has greyish bark with strong horizontal branching and pendant branchlets that form an irregular rounded habit. The leaves are dull green and spider-like flowers are creamy yellow appearing from late winter to spring.

Hardiness zones 9 to 11

Loropetalum chinense is naturally found from the Himalayas to China and Japan growing on rocky hillsides, open woodlands and along stream banks.

It prefers a moist but well-drained fertile sandy to clay soil that is tending acidic (avoid lime) and grows in an open sunny to semi shaded position and is frost tolerant but drought tender.

The Chinese Fringed Flower is grown for its colourful flowers and its dense habit. It is commonly cultivated in small gardens as an informal hedge tolerating a light prune or is used in shrub borders for screening. When mature it grows to 6m (20ft) tall with rounded pendant habit and is used in large gardens or parks. It is suitable for low-mountain and inland regions establishing in 2 to 3 years and is long lived. ID 5

Loropetalum (lor-oh-PET-al-um)chinense (chi-NEN-see)

Loropetalum`: from Greek loron+ petalon- thong-petal (refers to the shape of the petals); 'chinense`: of China.

Hamamelidaceae (hama-mel-DAY-see-ee)