Carolina Midnight Loropetalum

Loropetalum chinense f. rubrum ‘Carolina Midnight’

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 7a-10b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Evergreen Flowering Large Shrub or Small Tree

Height at Maturity: 10-15′

Width at Maturity: 8-10′

Spacing: 6′ for solid hedges; 10-12’+ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Arching, Broad, Bushy, Upright

Growth Rate: Fast

Flower Color: Deep Fuchsia-Pink

Flower Size: 1-1.5″

Flowering Period: Early Spring, Fall

Flower Type: Fringe

Fragrant Flowers: No

Foliage Color: Deep Purple, Reddish new growth

Fragrant Foliage: No

Berries: No

Berry Color: NA

Sun Needs: Full Sun or Mostly Sun, Morning Sun with Dappled or Afternoon Shade, All Day Filtered Sun, Morning Shade with Evening Sun

Water Needs: Average, Low when established

Soil Type: Clay (amended), Loam, Sandy (amended), Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Well Drained Moist to Somewhat Dry

Soil pH: 4.0 – 6.5 (Acid to Slightly Acidic)

Maintenance / Care: Very Low

Attracts: Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer, Disease, Drought, Heat, Humidity, Insects

Description

‘Carolina Midnight’ is a new introduction that will splash your landscape with some of the darkest foliage of any Loropetalum. Called Chinese Witch Hazel its deep fuschia-pink fringe flowers contrast beautifully with the deep purple foliage in spring. Growing up 15 feet tall depending on pruning, Carolina Midnight is a taller growing Loropetalum perfect for use a natural or clipped colorful hedge or screen or “limbed up’ to form an attractive specimen tree. This shrub is deer resistant, pest free and once it is established is drought tolerant.

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing naturally to about 10-15 feet tall and 8-10 feet wide, or kept smaller with occasional pruning, Carolina Midnight Loropetalum is an ideal choice as an accent, in groupings or mass plantings, or in straight or staggered rows in home foundation plantings and landscape borders. Lower branches can be removed to form a very attractive evergreen flowering tree that can be used as a focal point specimen or in clusters. It’s low water needs makes it suitable for use in Xeriscape plantings. The year round deep purple foliage contrasts nicely with plants that have yellow, light green, grey or other light colored foliage or flowers. A fine addition to purple-theme color gardens and large containers with a rim diameter of 16 inches or more.

Spacing: 6′ for solid hedge; 10-12′ or more for space between plants

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 7a, where this Loropetalum is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring. Requires a well-lit space for overwintering indoors.

Growing Preferences

Carolina Midnight Loropetalum is very easy to grow in most any average, most but well-drained soil and full sun to part shade. As with so many other ornamental plants, constantly soggy or wet soil can be problematic. So make sure to plant Purple Diamond® in a well-drained site. When established, plants are exceptionally drought tolerant, requiring little if any supplemental irrigation. Foliage is more dense and colorful in full sun. Requires no pruning, however responds very well to almost any amount, making it an excellent choice for hedges.

Helpful Articles

Click on the link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Loropetalum shrubs.

How To Plant A Loropetalum Shrub

How To Fertilize & Water A Loropetalum Shrub

How To Prune & Trim A Loropetalum Shrub Or Tree

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Questions? Contact Us

The plant arrived in good shape. A few broken branches but that’s expected. Nice size and was planted upon arrival and it’s still breathing!! Highly recommend this company!——————————————We are so glad you are pleased with your purchase! Thanks for the kind words and great review! Beth | WBG 🙂