Chinese Fringe Flower Loropetalum "Red Chocolate"

[Haoleboy]

Here is another tree I picked up from the nursery yesterday. All I did was prune it back to some remaining twigs and buds. I haven't excavated to see the nebari yet. But it does have a lot of surface roots under the moss. It's about 2 1/2"at the base. I didn't really know much about them until reading up on them on the Net. But it had sexy curves, attractive leaves, tight internodes and awesome flowers.

Not much info on when to repot. So any input would be greatly appreciated.

Gonna let it grow and then decide on the final styling. I bought it for $15 in a 5g pot. Looks like I got a pretty good deal. It had a twin trunk. But that really distracted the overall movement. So I removed it. Other than that and a couple old pruning nubs, there aren't any major pruning scars. The form is all natural.

 

[petegreg]

Very nice find. I keep this species as subtropical in my climate. Repotting best in spring. I washed the roots completely on its first repotting. It doesn't like heavy root prunning and does like slightly acidic soils, so used DE and kanuma 50:50 and it's happy.
The only thing I haven't done successfully so far is propagation, neither cuttings nor air-layering worked, but growing it for trunk size, so I'll try...

...this one is good...
http://www.bonsaitoolchest.com/v/vspfiles/caresheets/chinese-fringe-flower.pdf

 

[milehigh_7]

Okay I'm hooked gonna stock these as well... What a cool plant.

 

[Haoleboy]

Very nice find. I keep this species as subtropical in my climate. Repotting best in spring. I washed the roots completely on its first repotting. It doesn't like heavy root prunning and does like slightly acidic soils, so used DE and kanuma 50:50 and it's happy.
The only thing I haven't done successfully so far is propagation, neither cuttings nor air-layering worked, but growing it for trunk size, so I'll try...

...this one is good...
http://www.bonsaitoolchest.com/v/vspfiles/caresheets/chinese-fringe-flower.pdf

Thank you very much for that info. It's fine where it's at for now. I'll start slowly root pruning next spring. I'm tossing my used tea bags on it. I'll get some muracid too. I saw they like very acidic soil.

 

[Haoleboy]

Okay I'm hooked gonna stock these as well... What a cool plant.

I've seen them around at the nurseries and in landscapes. I've seen a few with interesting trunks. Probably their natural growth habits. This is the biggest one I've seen though in a nursery. I'm on very good terms with the owners and got a smoking deal. I couldn't pass it up. I'm really looking forward to developing this tree. The owner told me this was a rare variety. I guess the color of the flower is different than most others. I've read since introducing to the U,S., there are hundreds of varieties now. I think I'll be on the lookout for more as well.

 

[milehigh_7]

The one I'll be getting is razzlberry

 

[Haoleboy]

The one I'll be getting is razzlberry

Upon further research, that appears to be what this one is. Red Chocolate is the description.
"Loropetalum chinense rubrum 'Plum Delight', Razzleberry"

 

[MichaelS]

Nice material but you have not cut it down enough!

 

[Haoleboy]

Nice material but you have not cut it down enough!

They don't respond well to hard pruning. It would kill the plant if I would've cut any further back. Have to leave some growth on it. Not sure what direction I'm going with this yet. Figured I'd let it grow out then decide.

 

[MichaelS]

They don't respond well to hard pruning. It would kill the plant if I would've cut any further back. Have to leave some growth on it. Not sure what direction I'm going with this yet. Figured I'd let it grow out then decide.

Fair enough.

 

[Carol 83]

Okay I'm hooked gonna stock these as well... What a cool plant.

Good, I've been looking for one

 

[milehigh_7]

Sadly could not get any of these this time.

 

[Bonsailane]

Any updates?
Pics?

 

[Tieball]

Are you cleaning all the moss off the trunk and exposed roots? I think.....the tree will be more healthy cleaned and adventurous buds can be better exposed to the light.

 

[JoeH]

In FL too and I just bought two and repotted with no issues so you should be ok right now