Loropetalum Chinense Black Pearl Chinese Fringe Flower

Loropetalum Chinense Black Pearl or Chinese Fringe Flower is a beautiful flowering evergreen shrub that brings real impact to borders and patio containers with its black - purple foliage.  Black Pearl is a stand-out shrub for its dark evergreen foliage with a purple hue. If you have a mostly green garden this is a great choice as it brings variety to the greenery. 

In late winter through to early spring Loropetalum Black Pearl’s dark rose-pink blooms appear. The flowers are fragrant and spidery with long petals grouped to form a downward facing fringe which gives it the common name ‘Chinese Fringe Flower’.  The shrub is covered with these pretty blooms which blend well with the purple hue of its foliage. Very eye-catching and compact, this is an underused shrub in UK gardens where it brings much-needed colour and scent in the gloomy months.  

Height And Spread Of Loropetalum Chinense Black Pearl
Loropetalum Chinense Black Pearl is a compact shrub with a maximum height and spread of 2 metres. It can be pruned regularly to maintain a manageable height and shape if you wish. 

How Hardy Is Loropetalum Chinense Black Pearl
Loropetalum Black Pearl is hardy in the UK down to sub-zero temperatures if grown in a sheltered spot that’s free from frost pockets or harsh drying winds. 

How To Use Loropetalum Chinense Black Pearl
This pretty evergreen shrub has a variety of uses. It looks stunning grown in numbers especially in a woodland garden where it provides shelter and nectar to pollinators in the lean months. 
The early pink flowers also suit a cottage garden border and because it naturally keeps a compact form it suits a low maintenance outdoor space too.
Loropetalum Chinense Black Pearl will grow in a well-watered and fed container where it boosts a dull patio or paved front garden.
Flower arrangers enjoy the green-purple foliage and the textured flowers are long-lasting in flower displays.

How To Care For Loropetalum Chinense Black Pearl
Loropetalum Black Pearl tolerates the majority of well-drained soils but prefers acid to neutral conditions. A sunny spot in a sheltered frost-free area will encourage flowering. 
Water well until established and give extra water during very hot spells. A thick layer of mulch around the roots helps conserve moisture and suppresses weed competition as well as providing nutrients for a bigger and brighter flower display each year.