The white-flowering type, Loropetalum chinense, has been around for years and is truly a good dependable shrub, but it has never been widely grown. A pink-flowering version, Loropetalum c. rubrum, a relative newcomer to garden centers, has really popularized the plant. Some of the pink bloomers can be found under names such as 'Blush,' 'Burgundy,' 'Sizzlin' Pink,' 'Razzleberri,' and 'Rubrum.' Their airy ribbonlike blooms are striking, and some selections sport showy purple-green to burgundy foliage.

When you see knee-high plants at the nursery, don't be misled. At maturity some selections will grow up to 12 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide. They tend to have a vaselike shape. You can remove lower limbs from older shrubs to make small trees. Read the label or tag on the plants you buy for guidelines and spacing recommendations. They don't waste much time filling out and can grow up to 3 feet in a season.