Oh Lord! My Loropetalums are Dying!

Well, this last freeze we had a few days ago, after many loropetalums had shown some green leaves and their fringe flowers (part of the name of the plant), probably has many believing they (the plants) are dying.

This shouldn't be. It is not unusual for loropetalums leaves to have a brownish color during winters in our USDA hardiness zone - we simply didn't experience much of this due to the lack of winter we had this winter. They usually start showing their new colors in February and then we got zapped by Mother "You Know Who" Nature. She brings us all this other wonderful stuff so we can't truly bitch about it.

You will probably notice some green leaves on your loropetalums, perhaps even some red ones. If you peel back, not prune, the leaves, you will probably see some healthy green leaves just inward. The outermost leaves took one for the team.

Will we see the Purple Diamond (most of which are in our area) blooms later? Let's wait and see. Probably so as I have experienced these beautiful flowers on many customers' loropetalums over several months in the spring and summer.

Although loropetalums appear to have very limber wimpy branches they are very hardy and resilient. This is one of the few plants I trim almost any time in the spring and summer as they seem to have no limits.

The leaves are not waxy at all (very little cuticle) and are like Velcro to most any natural fabric. So if you need to work against or inside a loropetalum, be prepared to wear latex, saran wrap or not care about your chosen attire - the leaves may never leave. The warmer it is and the sweatier your are; the worse it gets. I don't always have to get inside loropetalums, but I often do and I reserve doing so for the final task of the day so I can head for the shower as soon as possible. The hairs on the leaves can leave your itchier than a sphynx cat in a fiberglass factory. Or, something like that.

What to Do?

At Least: Nothing

Somewhat: Run a rake over the foliage surface of the plant, not using a type of rake or the aggressive motion which will remove healthy (green) leaves from the plant.

At Most: Reach into the loropetalum and pull outward, somewhat like running your fingers through someone's hair, any diverted or cross branches which have length but have been contained within the interior of the plant. Shake branches as you go in order to drop dead leaves, leaving more of a path of sunlight for the healthier ones to do their job.

This will give the green leaves, the chlorophyll producing ones, a chance to help the plant. 

Caution: Do not show too much satisfaction in performing the latter recommendation, as your family, neighbors and perhaps, local authorities, may be watching. 

Another Caution: Do not prune, trim, cut, etc. at all until the plant has recovered (overall) and you find that some branches simply aren't going to make it - give it a few weeks. Winter is gone as of today as far as I can determine from the forecasts. I have worked with many a loropetalum and like most any shrub, because the branches are usually in such close proximity and competing for sunlight, they all want to thrive, but not all win out. Individual branch death occurs (aesthetically unpleasing for the property owner); however, the overall plant moves forward.

Tip: If you do take action with your loropetalum and it is in or above a nice clean groundcover, you may want to use a synthetic tarp or other non-natural material below the area of the plant you are working to easily collect the fallen leaves.