Hi Sagesue, I think the shrub you have in mind is Loropetalum chinense, a relative of witchazel. The species is green with white spidery blooms, much like witchazel's, but there are many cultivars with purple foliage. I am growing Pink Pizzaz and Plum Delight. Here's a picture of the Pink Pizzaz in bloom last winter, it's covered in sweet autumn clematis now.
click for larger view
{{gwi:778123}}

Nigella, I have sent messages to several folks asking about size. (So I apologize to all of you that have been reading my loropetalum questions.) I want a small shrub that has the pretty shape of the larger ones. I live in the middle of Arkansas. Noticed you mentioned 2 varieties, but I couldn't pull up the picture. Is there any way to guarantee that Pizazz or any of the other "small" ones will actually be small?
Thanks - Lynn

I wish I could answer your question, I haven't seen any truly small ones. Here's the picture from my Hortiplex journal rather than my MSN pages.

Thanks - that is a great picture. The leaves are really pretty, aren't they - Lynn

Loropetalums are not considered reliably hardy above zone 7. Might be worth experimenting in a sheltered spot.

I just bought the Loropetalum Pizazz and on the tag that came with the plant it gets 6' tall and 6' wide....cold hardiness was 10 to -12

Some of us were discussing our loropetalums last year. They seem to take quite a long time to establish a root system and start growing, although the better cultivars will bloom even when young. General agreement was that despite what the tags say, size is quite variable on these plants.

What do you consider small? I have a purple sand cherry and a smoke bush, neither is very large. The smoke bush is more bronze than purple though. Both are hardy here on the border of zones 5/6.

I am growing Sizzlin Pink and Burgundy Loropetalums in Zone 7, Georgia. Both have grown like gangbusters, nearly 3x their original size in 3 years! The Burgundy seems to "splay" its branches more; is grown in full sun and tends to leaf-out yellow before flowering in the Spring. My Sizzlin Pinks tend to flower more, but BOTH varieties bloom in Spring and Fall. (!) I also just purchased some "Pizzazz" which looked identical to the "Plum Delight" at the Lowe's, but it was just slightly more compact and the foliage more purple than green. I do agree that cultural vagaries can alter how these lovely plants grow and flower. And I think some of these names may be the same plant.;

you don't say if you want a "natural" look to it, but I trim my loropetalums to fit size requirement in a particular landscape area. In an area I have them shaped like row hedges, another a pom pom tree (that's an older plant)another softly rounded mounds.

I've read that an alternative to loropetalums in colder areas is barberry, also with that beautiful color but has thorns. could be a problem if children around.