Loropetalum Chinense Pleached Chinese Fringe Tree

Loropetalum Chinense in Pleached Tree Form
Loropetalum Chinense Pleached (Pleached Chinese Fringe) is a pleached evergreen tree with pretty white flowers from February to March. This is a Pleached Chinese Fringe with a clear trunk and a square crown that’s trimmed around a bamboo frame ready for instant impact planting and / or above the fenceline screening. 

Loropetalum Chinense originates from Asia and was brought to the UK in 1880 by Victorian plant hunters. It’s commonly called the Chinese Fringe Plant for its white witch hazel type flowers with strappy fringed petals. Its flowers appear on branch tips in early spring emerging in February to March to brighten up the garden when not much else is in bloom. They carry a sweet scent and attract early waking bumblebees.

Its dark-green year-round foliage has paler pink-tinged undersides and grows densely, overlapping to create a thick neighbour-proof screen that creates instant privacy above a fence line. You could use it to hide unsightly features and block traffic noise and pollution too.

Height And Spread of Loropetalum Chinense Pleached
Loropetalum Chinense can reach a height of three metres and is happy to be pruned into shape. To maintain the pleached form, trim once per year. 

How Hardy Is Loropetalum Chinense Pleached
This is a hardy plant native to the cold regions of Asia and capable of withstanding winter if its roots are well-drained.
It prefers warm areas and flowers best in the south, though it will grow in cooler areas in a sunny spot with shelter from prevailing winds. Pests are rarely a problem.

How To Use Loropetalum Chinense Pleached
Pleached Chinese Fringe is a ‘fence on stilts’ that creates extra screening above a fenceline and privacy throughout the year. You can also use it to disguise an ugly feature, shield the garden from traffic pollution, and create shade.
Its early flowers are attractive to pollinators, which makes it a useful companion to fruit trees, vegetable gardens, and wildlife-friendly spaces.

How To Care For Loropetalum Chinense Pleached
Pleached Loropetalum needs little attention if it’s planted in a sunny spot with nutrient-rich soil, but it’s hardy enough to do well in most situations that aren’t waterlogged or overly cold. Cold weather tends to minimise flowering, so choose a sunny, sheltered area for the best blooms.
To keep the pleached shape tie in or trim back any whippy shoots that overrun the bamboo frame. There’s no need to remove the frame because over time the crown will bush out into a cube and disguise it.
Water well until established and apply a thick layer of mulch to the roots before flowering in late January or early February.

See also Loropetalum Full Standard and as a regular-shaped Loropetalum tree.