Ok, now i am second guessing the tag...i found a lot of sites that say it will take full sun in zone 10a... One site in particular says it was previously listed as only to zone 9 but it has been doing well in zone 10a and even 10b. Maybe i should go back tomorrow and buy it. It is a lovely pink color against the dark foliage.

Pea,

What's the name of the plant? Maybe someone here is growing it and can provide advice. Thanks!

Rhonda

Loropetalum...i didn't catch the exact variety but it was not the green leafed one it had very dark mauve leaves.

Well the point is moot, i went back the two plants they had are gone tho they have the greener variety still. If i had my ipad with me last night i could have looked them up one the spot...reminder to self: take ipad with you

Pea,

I grew the dark leafed form in Williston (9a). I had several of them planted across the west side of the house where they received morning shade and full sun in the afternoon. I also had one planted against the west side of the storage shed where it received dappled shade from the taller trees close to the shed. The ones against the house never looked very full but were pretty in bloom. However, the one that received dappled shade was very full and bloomed much more often and heavier than the ones in full sun.

Clemson's Co-op Extension says they are hardy to zone 10. So, since they're on clearance at a great price, give them a try. But, Based on my experience, if you're planting in zone 10, I would plant on the east side of the house or provide some afternoon shade under taller trees or structures if planted on the west.

Good luck.

Rhonda

Yes, it's confusing that the USDA zoning is presented in spreads like 7-10 as though it is addressing both how cold of a climate a plant can grow in as well as how hot. When really it is only about how cold of an area a plant can grow in - plants should just have one figure assigned to them under this system. As in "hardy to Zone 7" and so on.

Eventually the separate A.H.S. heat zone system was developed to address specifically how much heat a plant can take. So you will see some plant profiles with both sets of zones given. Otherwise if you just see the word "Zone" or abbreviation "Z" used someplace like a plant label - where there is no explanation present of what these refer to - assume it is the USDA hardiness zones. Or an approximation.

The place i am filling with pink plants is my west side of the house. So maybe it is just as well they didn't have it anymore if that darker variety doesn't like full sun. I did pick up a fun little tropical plant, alocasia polly, on clearance. i used to have it but lost in hurricane charley but it is going on the east side near the bird bath as it likes water. I am trying to go with less containers and more in the ground plants.

Ditto the above. Hardiness zones ONLY apply to the amount of winter cold a plant can be expected to take. It has nothing to do with summer heat or humidity or rainfall or any of the other countless other issues that factor into a plant doing well in one zone or another. Really, these tags should only list the lowest zone a plant will tolerate to reduce this confusion - obviously if it will tolerate the cold of a much lower zone, it will certainly tolerate the cold in your z10. But that says nothing about its response to other, non-winter growing conditions.

Loropetalum is a staple evergreen shrub in most southern zones. It is highly recommended by the U of FL and by the South Florida Plant Guide but may be limited by nutrient poor sandy soils.

When I was in the Orlando area (USDA 9) a few years ago Loropetalum was being used there for sheared hedges in full sun locations on commercial properties. As though it was thought to be a landscape staple, a locally tough plant that could be successfully employed in such a manner.

In best conditions in Florida, during how much of the year does Loropetalum bloom?

This one wasn't that green to burgandy one i see everywhere(i think that variety is called ruby) this was very dark mauve and the fuchsia colored flowers just popped...i wish i had remembered the variety name...they were in smaller pots than the greener variety tho today i looked at the gren varieties tag and it said 7-9 also. last night i did not realize the two varieties were related. They only had two of them as a i said it is just as well if as Rhondia says it doesn't like full sun as this is a full sun location.

Multiple different cultivars are on the market, there is more than just one of each leaf and flower color type. Did you see this comment?

Loropetalum is a staple evergreen shrub in most southern zones. It is highly recommended by the U of FL and by the South Florida Plant Guide but may be limited by nutrient poor sandy soils

Isn't all of s.w. Florida sandy soil tho? Not that i have ever had a problem with it i tend to throw oak leaves in every hole i put a plant in...they seem to like it and do well.