If you’ve been driving in the Knoxville area this spring, you’ve no doubt seen the beautiful spring blooms along the Dogwood Arts Trails and Gardens. But blooms aren’t the only way to bring bright colors to your Knoxville landscaping. Here’s one of my favorite plants that will keep things colorful year round (and provide a burst of bloom in the spring!) …
Plant Name:
Crimson Fire Loropetalum: Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum
What It Looks Like
This evergreen shrub has deep purple-red foliage and boasts bright pink fringe-like flowers in the spring, giving it the common name “Fringe Flower.” It can reach up to 5 feet tall and wide and, as an added bonus for our clients who live in areas frequented by deer populations, Crimson Fire Loropetalum is a deer-resistant shrub.
Where to Use It:
I often use this plant as a specimen, making it the showcase of a landscape planting plan, but it can also be used as a foundation plant, or in mass groupings to showcase its beautiful color.
What to Pair It With:
When I use this plant as a foundation, I like to pair it with contrasting colorful plants to highlight its purple color rather than choosing the more typical plants with dark green foliage.
For a striking look in your Knoxville landscaping, pair this Loropetalum with warm colors such as yellow, orange or lime green. Consider using plants such as Fire Chief Arborvitae (pictured below) with its yellow-orange foliage, Goldflame Spirea with its yellow-green foliage, or Lemon-Lime Nandina with its light green foliage. Any of these choices will make the purple hues of Crimson Fire Loropetalum pop.
For more ideas incorporating the color purple in your landscaping, check out this post from Carex Design Group owner and landscape architect Bob Graves.
Contact Us:
For help incorporating this plant or others into your Knoxville landscaping, fill out our contact form or call 865-765-5550 to schedule a consultation with our landscape architect.
