If you’re itching to do some planting during the fall, take a look at some flowering shrubs. This is the ideal time for planting them.
One of the most attractive-and evergreen-shrubs is Loropetalum chinensis, also known as the Chinese fringeflower or sometimes, Chinese witch hazel.
Originally from China and Japan, fringeflowers have a lovely arching habit, with simple leaves arranged alternately on the sweeping branches. Depending upon the cultivar, the leaf color can range from light green to deep burgundy. (For the purple-leaved varieties, make sure they get full sun to achieve the best foliage color.) Fringeflowers can get as big as 10 feet tall if not kept in check, but most gardeners will want to keep them trimmed to half that height.
In most areas, fringeflowers bloom heavily in the spring and then lightly through the fall with blossoms that range from a pure white to a deep pink, again depending upon the cultivar you choose. In milder climates, they can put on their best show in the late fall or even into February.
Give your fringeflowers full sun and a fertilizer made for acid-loving plants like azaleas and rhododendrons. Don’t overwater, and they will give you years of gorgeous color when most plants look their worst.