How to Plant a Raspberry Red Fringe Flower Plant

The raspberry red fringe flower plant (Loropetalum chinense) is a member of the Hamamelidaceae family. This evergreen shrub grows to heights between 6 to 12 feet with an equal branch spread. The plant thrives in the partially sunny, well-drained soils of USDA hardiness zones 7 through 9. The foliage of the shrub gives way to clusters of long, red flower petals that hang like fringe, and bloom several times throughout the growing season.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

• Pitchfork
• Soil testing kit
• Lime or peat moss
• Garden hose

1. Prepare the soil in your chosen planting location during the early spring, just after the thaw. Loosen the soil to a depth of 12 inches using a pitchfork.

2. Test the pH of the soil after loosening, using a soil testing kit. The raspberry red fringe flower plant prefers to grow in acid soil between 4.5 and 6.5, so you may need to add lime to the soil if the pH is below 4.5. Mix peat moss in with the soil if the pH is above 6.5. Mix the required amendment in with the soil following the instructions on the package label.

3. Dig a planting hole for the raspberry red fringe flower plant. The hole should measure the height and width of the plant’s present nursery container. If you will be planting more than one fringe flower, space each of the holes approximately 36 inches apart.

4. Slide the raspberry red fringe flower plant from its nursery container, leaving the roots and soil intact. Set the plant in the center of the hole. Backfill the hole and pat the soil around the fringe flower to remove air pockets.

5. Water-in the raspberry red fringe flower after planting. Water the soil generously with a garden hose, soaking the soil to a 1-inch depth. Continue to maintain moist soil as the plant grows, supplying at least 1 inch of water per week.

Tips & Warnings

• After the first growing season, fringe flower plants appreciate a dose of acid fertilizer after each bloom. Check the fertilizer’s packaging label for allocation amounts and application methods.

• Do not over water the raspberry red fringe flower plant after planting. The water should be moist, not sopping wet, at all times. Press your fingers into the soil before each watering. If the soil feels moist at a depth of 1 inch, do not water. Instead, check the soil again in a few days.