Oh golly, leave it alone!!!!! Take it from somebody who thought she was going to shape her's, it's a huge, huge, huge mistake. They aren't cheap, and you can't propagate them without a mist system and they are slllloooooowwwww growing. Mine has been in the ground for around 5 years and is just recovering from the trimming I gave it when I first got it. I can't say it strongly enough. I love that shrub and it just hurts my biggest feelings that I set it back so far. I wish I could have afforded a larger one to start with.

Thanks for the tip Nigella! I won't trim it and just enjoy its bushiness. It has become my favorite of my new garden, but had a lot to live up to as my wife thought I was crazy to spend the money on it. It is truly beautiful.

I have one of these and planted it around some Oakleaf Hydrangeas. The blue foliage really stands out, and those stems ain't bad either :D I also have some hostas in front of it. This is a really neat shrub -- almost like the "Colorado Blue Spruce" of deciduous shrubs. LOL.

Dave, does your Zenobia lose it's leaves in the winter? Down here the leaves turn brilliant colors in late fall and hang on until the new foliage starts to fill in. It is very pretty against those ghostly stems.

Mine did lose its leaves this past Winter. We got down to 7 one night :-O

BTW- is that you sellin' stuff now on EBay?? If so, I bid on one of your auctions yesterday but lost. :-(

Blush, yes, that's me, Dave. What did you want? I don't want to sell to my "brothers and sisters" on GW, but you can have anything I have for the cost of the postage.

I don't mind bidding at all -- I sell stuff on eBay sometimes too. Actually, haven't done it this year yet. If I win one of your auctions, then that's some cash for you to buy MORE plants....and then of course you can sell those to me later... I have ulterior motives!

Dave, you owe me a pair of beat up shorts and a worn out tee shirt, lol, I spit tea all over myself, I won't say why I need the shorts! How can I argue with that logic! What did you bid on, anyway? I probably have more of it.

Please help! Bought 2 zenobias. Planted, watered, flowered, and died. What did I do wrong? I'm so disappointed. Please advise. Thanks, Toni