There's a good description of this plant and the various cultivars at the paghat website, linked below. I'm not familiar with it, but it certainly looks intriguing - I may have to find a space to try it!

Here is a link that might be useful: Loropetalum chinense var rubrum at Paghat

thanks! great link. i have the zhuzhou fuschia and it is doing wonderfully well - blooming even more than when i posted the original message. the fuschia blooms seem to explode from inside the plant - contrasting with the new dark foliage. definitely worth a try.

i will mulch and water more this year.

I have grown loropetalums for ten years or more, and they are one of my top rated shrubs. Yes, their leaves change color seasonally, which is why I love them so much. In the spring, new growth is a very deep red-violet to nearly black, depending on the variety you grow. In the summer, the purple fades and the leaves are a gorgeous blue green. In the fall, it has many red orange leaves scattered throughout the bush, which just makes it blend into the fall riot of foliage color. Then in winter, it rests, but will bloom anytime there is a run of several warm days. In our area, they often bloom twice: once in the spring and again in the fall with masses of color that rival azaleas.
I have heard that if they are in an area that is a bit colder than they like, they may de-foliate some. Perhaps that is why yours lost alot of leaves. I have never noticed mine shedding, though nearly all evergreens will lose leaves along the way as they grow "old".
Depending again on the variety, they can grow tall enough to be trained into multi-stemmed trees (10 to 12 feet). There are new varieties being introduced this year that are small enough to be used in a hanging basket (Purple Pixie), or that top out at four feet (Purple Diamond). Of the large growers, "Plum Delight" is a personal favorite of mine because it holds its color longer and has almost a silvery sheen to the leaves. I also grow Ruby. It lends itself well to hedging at about 4 feet, though it's leaf color is not as intensely purple as I would have liked. These shrubs will grow in full sun to part shade. They can be used as specimens, espalier, standards, or hedges, though espalier and standards would involve an awful lot pruning, I would think, for they grow pretty vigorously. Do read the tag and be sure to give them enough room. They are at their loveliest when they can grow in their natural airy form. If they are hardy in your area, you should try them! You will like them.

Borderline here in cool part of Zone 8. Claims of hardiness in Zone 7 must be based on hot eastern summers maturing wood or comparatively short term experience. Lasting success in Zone 6 seems pretty doubtful.

I have 40 or so that have had yellow leaves since they have been planted, summer of 07. What could be be the issue?

Likely either minerals in soil or irrigation water that affect these particular plants that way, or a soil nutrient deficiency. Need to find out what specific problem is and address that, no point in adding something when you need to take something away - or add something else instead. If you are in USA try your state Cooperative Extension Service for help finding out what your shrubs need.

I bought a loropetalum on impulse last spring, it was untagged and an unknown variety. I'd never grown this plant before. I live in zone 6b, so it was definitely an experiment but I loved the plant so much I actually put it right by my front door. I only lost a few leaves on the tips this winter, which have since leafed out nicely with no dieback. Apparently the flower buds were zapped as I expected them in April, but no matter, it's the foliage I love. Yes, the leaves do green out in summer, to a nice olive green with that burgundy background still showing. Mine gets 3-4 hours of morning sun, then full shade the rest of the day. I'm impressed with this plant, but will eventually move it to a new spot where it can stretch out, truthfully I didn't expect it to survive the winter but it has proven me wrong. I'm going to place it in more sun, where I won't have to prune it at all, except for discreet feather pruning. This plant looks its best "au naturale!"

I just ran out in the rain and snapped these pics
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During the 1990 winter here, the coldest in 30 years I noticed that a friend's new, small specimen remained intact below the snow line but burned above it. So, yours may become more vulnerable as it develops and has more growth higher up.

We had lorapetulum planted yesterday
the leaves on the shrubs look wilted
they have full sun and we are giving them a lot of water
both hand spraying and drip.

Here in Eastern zone 7a (northern VA), my lorapetalums defoliated 80%, but remained twig hardy.

I live in central Fl- in April I planted 9 lorapetulum, now in June I have lost three plants and the other don't look healthy, I contacted the nursery and he said I haven't been watering the plant enough. Not true - been watering a lot.I added to the soil when planting, blk cow,top soil and mulch. Afternoon sun. I'm very disapointed in the plant.

what would make a healthy lorapetulum shed leaves in the summer? only one shrub in a stand of 10 is doing this. it flowered beautifully this spring.