Purple Pixie® Dwarf Weeping Loropetalum – 3 Gallon

Loropetalum chinense ‘Peack’ PP18441

Add rich, cascading color to your landscape with Purple Pixie® Loropetalum, a unique dwarf loropetalum prized for its deep purple foliage, graceful weeping habit, and bright pink spring flowers. Unlike traditional loropetalums that can grow into large shrubs, Purple Pixie stays exceptionally low and spreads outward, making it an outstanding choice for groundcover, slopes, retaining walls, containers, and the front edge of landscape beds.

Its dramatic purple foliage provides year-round color in Southern gardens, while its cascading form adds softness and movement to the landscape.

Plant at a Glance

Botanical Name: Loropetalum chinense ‘Peack’ PP18441
Common Name: Purple Pixie® Dwarf Weeping Loropetalum
Container Size: 3 Gallon
Plant Type: Dwarf flowering evergreen shrub
Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Evergreen or Deciduous: Evergreen
USDA Hardiness Zones: 7–10
Mature Height: Approximately 1–2 feet tall
Mature Width: Approximately 4–5 feet wide
Growth Habit: Low, spreading, cascading and weeping
Growth Rate: Slow to moderate
Sunlight: Full sun to part shade
Water Needs: Medium
Foliage: Deep burgundy-purple
Flowers: Yes
Bloom Season: Spring, with occasional additional blooms possible
Flower Color: Bright pink, ribbon-like flowers
Deer Resistance: Good
Primary Feature: Extremely low-growing purple foliage with a cascading habit

Why We Love Purple Pixie

Purple Pixie is one of the most distinctive loropetalums because it behaves more like a colorful evergreen groundcover than a traditional shrub.

It grows only about 1–2 feet tall but can spread approximately 4–5 feet wide, creating a flowing blanket of purple foliage.

This makes it especially beautiful spilling:

• Over retaining walls
• Down slopes
• Across the front of landscape beds
• Over the edges of large containers
• Around taller green shrubs

The combination of its low habit and dark foliage creates a designer look without adding unwanted height.

Sunlight Requirements

Plant Purple Pixie in:

Full sun to part shade

For the richest purple foliage and strongest flowering, give it plenty of light.

Southern Living recommends full sun to part shade, and Purple Pixie can tolerate approximately 30% shade while maintaining good performance.

Wright’s Market Recommendation

In southeast Georgia, Purple Pixie performs beautifully in full sun when properly watered.

In locations with intense reflected afternoon heat, a little afternoon shade can be beneficial.

Too much shade may cause the foliage to become greener and the plant to flower less heavily.

Watering

Purple Pixie has medium water needs.

Immediately After Planting

Water deeply after planting so the entire root ball and surrounding soil are thoroughly moistened.

First Growing Season

Water approximately 1–2 times per week, adjusting for rainfall, soil type, and temperature.

During extreme summer heat, newly planted 3-gallon shrubs may require additional water.

Once Established

Purple Pixie becomes more tolerant of short dry periods once established.

Water deeply during prolonged drought rather than providing frequent shallow watering.

Avoid constantly saturated soil, as loropetalum can develop root problems when kept too wet.

Fertilization

Fertilize once yearly in early spring as new growth begins.

Use a balanced, slow-release shrub fertilizer or a fertilizer formulated for acid-loving plants according to package directions.

Avoid excessive fertilization. Purple Pixie is naturally compact and slow to moderate growing, so heavy feeding is unnecessary.

Planting Instructions

1. Water the plant thoroughly while it is still in its 3-gallon container.
2. Choose a location with full sun to part shade.
3. Dig a hole approximately twice as wide as the root ball, but no deeper.
4. Carefully remove the plant from its container.
5. Gently loosen any tightly circling roots.
6. Position the plant so the top of the root ball sits approximately 1–2 inches above the surrounding soil level.
7. Backfill with existing garden soil.
8. Water deeply to settle the soil around the roots.
9. Apply approximately 1–2 inches of mulch or pine straw.
10. Keep mulch pulled away from the main stems.

Soil

Purple Pixie performs best in:

Well-drained garden soil
Soil enriched with organic matter
Slightly acidic soil

Southern Living recommends well-drained garden soil with rich organic matter.

Good drainage is important. Avoid low areas where water remains standing around the roots.

Pruning & Maintenance

Purple Pixie requires very little pruning because its naturally low, cascading habit is one of its best features.

If pruning is necessary, Southern Living recommends pruning after the spring bloom.

Remove:

• Dead or damaged branches
• Stray growth extending beyond the desired area
• Occasional older stems if thinning is needed

Avoid shearing Purple Pixie into a tight shape. Its natural weeping form is what makes it special.

Does Purple Pixie Flower?

Yes.

Purple Pixie produces bright pink ribbon-like flowers in spring.

The flowers stand out beautifully against the dark purple foliage.

While spring is the main flowering season, Southern Living also identifies Purple Pixie as a reblooming variety, so lighter flowering may occur again under favorable growing conditions.

Evergreen or Deciduous?

Evergreen.

Purple Pixie holds its rich purple foliage throughout the year in its recommended growing zones, giving landscapes dependable winter color and structure.

During unusually cold winters, some temporary foliage discoloration or leaf loss can occur, but new growth generally returns as temperatures warm.

Zone 9 / Coastal Georgia Performance

Purple Pixie is particularly well suited to southeast Georgia.

It is hardy in approximately USDA Zones 7–10, making Zone 8b/9a an excellent climate for this variety.

For best results in our area:

• Give it good sunlight for strong purple color.
• Provide well-drained soil.
• Water regularly during the first growing season.
• Avoid planting where water stands after heavy rain.
• Use pine straw or mulch to protect the root zone during summer.

Once established, it becomes a relatively easy-care addition to Southern landscapes.

Landscape Uses

Purple Pixie is especially beautiful used as:

• Groundcover
• Front-of-border planting
• Retaining wall planting
• Slope planting
• Mass planting
• Container specimen
• Hanging basket
• Window box
• Accent plant
• Cascading landscape edge

Southern Living specifically recommends Purple Pixie for groundcover, slopes, containers, mass plantings, hanging baskets, and window boxes.

Spacing

Remember that Purple Pixie grows much wider than it grows tall.

Allow approximately 4–5 feet of mature spread when planting individual specimens.

For mass groundcover plantings, plants may be placed closer together depending on how quickly you want the area to fill.

Wright’s Market Tip

Do not plant Purple Pixie too close to a narrow walkway unless you want it to cascade toward the edge.

Give it room to spread and let the natural weeping habit become part of the design.

Beautiful Plant Pairings

Purple Pixie looks especially beautiful against bright green and chartreuse foliage.

Pair it with:

Evergreen Structure
Soft Touch® Holly
Vintage Jade® Distylium
Babylon Beauty™ Boxwood
Podocarpus

Flowering Shrubs
White Encore® Azaleas
Gardenias
Hydrangeas
White Drift® Roses

Bright Foliage & Texture
Carex ‘Everillo’
Feather Falls Carex
Liriope
Golden ornamental grasses

Wright’s Market Designer Combination

Try:

Purple Pixie Loropetalum + Soft Touch Holly + white flowering shrubs + chartreuse Carex

Use the taller green shrubs toward the back of the bed and allow Purple Pixie to spill across the front.

The contrast of deep purple, fresh green, soft chartreuse, and white flowers creates a sophisticated Southern landscape without feeling overly formal.

Plant Meaning & Garden Personality

Loropetalum can represent renewal, energy, and vibrant growth.

Purple Pixie has an especially playful garden personality because of its flowing shape and dramatic color. It adds movement and personality while still fitting beautifully into traditional Southern landscapes.

Why Wright’s Market Loves It

We love Purple Pixie® Loropetalum because it gives you the beautiful purple foliage of a traditional loropetalum in a completely different size and shape.

Instead of becoming a large shrub, Purple Pixie stays only 1–2 feet tall and spreads gracefully outward.

For customers looking for a plant that is:

Evergreen
Dwarf
Purple year-round
Spring flowering
Low maintenance
Deer resistant
Ideal for slopes and retaining walls
Beautiful in containers

Purple Pixie is one of our favorite colorful landscape choices.

Wright’s Market Plant Tip

Think of Purple Pixie as a cascading evergreen groundcover rather than a traditional shrub.

Give it room to spread instead of constantly pruning it back. When allowed to develop naturally, its flowing purple foliage creates the dramatic look this variety is known for.

Please note: Plant height, width, fullness, foliage color, and flowering vary according to season and growing conditions. A 3-gallon Purple Pixie Loropetalum is a young landscape plant and will continue developing toward its mature size after planting.