i'm heading into my first winter with two purple loropetalum ZhouZho hybrid. i put them in VERY early last "spring" - first of March actually. They weathered a freak late snowfall on Saint Patrick's day - blooms and all. They are in all the garden center here (richmond) so i hope they last a cold winter. I have seen them around my neighborhood, so i believe they will be ok. good luck.

Mine are heading into their third winter; I'm in zone 7 SE Virginia. They're fine; go ahead and plant them in the fall.

Almost forgot...while they're young/small, after it snows go out and shake it off so the branches don't break or split under the weight of the snow.

When I lived in N. Al (also zone 7) we used them a lot as landscaping shrubs. Other than ice damage a few times they did very well there so I don't see any reason why they would not do well here either. I prefer to plant all shrubs and trees in the fall so the roots have a good chance to growing before the summer heat sets in. I learned in college that roots grow in winter, tops/blooms/fruit in summer so I have always done this.

I live in No. Va. (inner Fairfax County) and have had good luck with purple loropetalum. No special winterizing treatment other than a layer of shredded leaf mulch.

Filbert