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This
is a fairly new plant to Florida and is commonly used as a shrub. However,
it trains up nicely as a small flowering tree. Fringebush prefers an acid
soil and a mostly sunny position in the landscape. Its small size makes
it well suited for planting in back of a shrub border or for use as a small
tree near the patio. Limb the tree up to make a small tree. Mass several
together to make a dramatic statement and a nice, delicate flower show.
It can be trained into a nice espalier. This is becoming a popular plant
used for many landscapes situations. There are green leafed with white flowers
cultivars; and there are red leafed with red, white or pink flowers cultivars
(var. rubrum).
'Snow
Muffin' grows to about 2 feet tall; 'Zhuzhou Fuchsia' may survive to -10
degrees; var rubrum is hardy to about 0 degrees and has given rise to
many cultivars. 'Plum Delight' might be the best one for the hot southeastern
US.
var.
rubrum 'Bicolor' blooms earlier than others (January) with large white
flowers with green to bronze-green foliage;
var. rubrum 'Blush' blooms early to mid-season (Jan-Feb) with hot pink
flowers with medium-green to burgundy foliage;
var. rubrum 'Burgundy' blooms mid-season with medium-sized pink flowers
with black-green to medium burgundy foliage and may grow slightly wider
than tall;
var. rubrum 'Daybreak's Flame' begins bloom later than the others (late
Feb) with many hot pink flowers;
var. rubrum 'Pipa's Red' blooms late with large pink flowers with black-purple
to black burgundy foliage and may grow taller than wide;
var. rubrum 'Plum Delight' blooms mid-season (February) with large dark
pink flowers with black-purple to deep burgundy foliage and grows about
as tall as wide;
var. rubrum 'Razzleberri' begins bloom late (late Feb) with medium pink
flowers and grows fast and large;
var. rubrum 'Ruby' blooms mid-season with medium hot pink flowers with
dark-green to burgundy foliage growing fast and large;
var. rubrum 'Sizzlin Pink' blooms early- to mid-season with medium pink
flowers with black-purple to burgungy dark green foliage;
var. rubrum 'Suzanne' blooms mid-season with medium pink flowers with
dark black-green to bronze or burgundy foliage;
var. rubrum 'Zhuzhou Fuchsia' blooms early- to mid-season with hot pink
flowers with black-purple to deep purple foliage, 'Zhuzhou Fuchsia' may
survive to -10 degrees;
Others listed include:
'Compacta' is slower growing than the rest with medium to dark green foliage
and small white flowers;
'Hillier Compact' has small white flowers;
'Snow Dance' blooms later than the rest and has green foliage, small white
flowers and grows wider than tall;
'Snow Muffin' grows to about 2 feet tall;
'Plum Delight' might be the best one for the hot southeastern US.
The following observations are offered by Dr. Mike Dirr, University of
Georgia, who has grown many of these: Pizzazz, Plum Delight, Hines Purpleleaf,
and Hines Burgundy are the same; Blush, Razzleberri, Daybreak's Flame
are the same; Zhuzhou Fuchsia and Pipa's Red are the same.
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