Clay/Geezerman:

Glad you brought this up! I had been noticing a similar odd behavior in potted Loropetalums vs. in-ground specimens.

I have Loropetalums growing in my yard here near Atlanta, they grow fast, and get to the point where I cannot shear them because the branches have gotten too thick for the trimmers, so I have had to scalp them occasionally with pruning saws, loppers etc - leaving just a few tufts of leaves on the branches, pruned to a lower height than I want to achieve after regrowth. They back-bud beautifully, and in about a month you would never know I had pruned them.

Now, I have put them in a pot, and haven't seen the same results. One (Sizzlin Pink variety) I have had for 3 years in a 16" flowerpot, and, while it hasn't died, it definitely isn't sprouting as vigorously as those in the ground. I can't seem to get it to bud out lower down the leggy stems (which are leafless except in the top few inches, and then lush tips - maybe that's the way they grow?), nor do they thicken that well - 3 years and it's only about 3/4" diam. but is 2 ft high.

I bought another one, an unidentified weeping form, earlier this spring, pruned it, and potted it up in a bonsai pot, but it just sits there, while the in-ground plants are ready for their second trimming about 6 feet away!

I'd also like to hear someone's explaination on this.

Thanks again

Scenter/Bruce