Plum Gorgeous

Loropetalum ‘Plum Gorgeous’ is a stunning shrub with dark purple foliage and intense magenta-pink flowers. The flowers are starry bursts, with clusters of strappy petals making a stylised little pom pom. The main flowering seasons are spring and autumn, but it spot flowers during the year. Because of their smaller (2-3cm) leaves and bushy habit, they make a great plant for hedging, or you can let their natural form take over, and they’ll form a lovely elegant plant.

Plum Gorgeous just starting to flower.

Against the similarly bright pink Cordyline Rubra.

‘Plum Gorgeous’ is a cultivar of Loropetalum chinense, a relative of witch hazel (Hamamelis molis). It’s native to China (hence the name!) and Japan. The name Loropetalum is derived from the Greek loron for strap and petalon for petal. ‘Plum Gorgeous’ is only one cultivar, another well known one is the taller growing ‘China Pink’ with a similar leaf colour and more of a mid-pink flower colour. ‘Emerald Snow’ is a green leaf, white flowered variety.

Plum Gorgeous flowers.

Despite preferring moist, well drained loamy soil that is slightly acidic, I have my Plum Gorgeous planted up against the shed, against the concrete slab (alkaline) in sandy, fairly depleted soil and rarely water it. They get the tick of approval from me for levels of hardiness! Water them well to get established and then you’re off and running. It will flower better if you give it some love (water and maybe a bit of fertiliser!). They’ll take full sun to part shade and are rarely affected by pests. I do have a couple of resident crab spiders amongst mine though - which in the animal world are kinda mean, but I think they’re cute!

Crab spider