Chinese Red Loropetalum (Latin name: Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum), also known as Red Sausage Tree, Red Osier, Red Sassafras, Red Loropetalum, Red Osier Flower, Red Sassafras Flower, and Red Loropetalum Flower, is a variant of the Loropetalum genus, a evergreen shrub or small tree. The bark is dark gray or light gray-brown, with many branches. Young branches are reddish-brown, densely covered with star-shaped hairs. Leaves are leathery, alternate, ovate or elliptic, 2-5cm long, with a short point at the tip, a rounded and oblique base, asymmetrical, with star-shaped hairs on both sides, entire, dark red. Petals are 4, purple-red, linear, 1-2cm long, flowering in clusters of 3-8 on branch tips. Capsules are brown, nearly ovate. Flowering period is from April to May, lasting about 30-40 days, with a second bloom during the National Day holiday. Flowers are 3-8 in clusters on the peduncle, forming an umbel inflorescence, purple-red. Fruit period is in August. Mainly distributed in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and southward, as well as in northern India. Flowers, roots, and leaves are medicinal.
Shrubs, occasionally small trees, with many branches; young branches have stellate hair. Leaves are leathery, ovate, 2 to 5 cm long, 1.5 to 2.5 cm wide, with a pointed apex, obtuse base, unequally sides, slightly rough or glabrous on the upper surface, dark green when dry, lack luster, covered with stellate hair on the underside, slightly grayish-white, with about 5 pairs of lateral veins, prominent on the upper surface, raised on the underside, entire; petioles are 2 to 5 mm long, with stellate hair; stipules are membranous, lanceolate-triangular, 3 to 4 mm long, 1.5 to 2 mm wide, early falling.
The flowers are in clusters of 3 to 8, with short pedicels, purplish-red, blooming before or simultaneously with the young leaves. The raceme peduncle is about 1 cm long and hairy; the bracts are linear, 3 mm long; the calyx is cup-shaped, hairy, with ovate lobes, about 2 mm long, which fall off after flowering. There are 4 petals, strap-like, 1 to 2 cm long, with rounded or obtuse tips; 4 stamens, with very short filaments and anthers that project in a horn-like shape; 4 staminodes, scale-like, alternating with the stamens; the ovary is completely inferior, hairy; the style is very short, about 1 mm long; with one ovule suspended in the upper angle of the ovary.
Specimen form measurement
Red Sandalwood is mostly in natural shapes, spherical shapes, and shaped桩景 shapes. Natural shapes and spherical shapes are measured by their natural height and natural crown spread. Shaped桩景 shapes require full and layered shaped leaves, simple and primitive, with the sum of all main trunks measured sequentially.
Likes sunlight, slightly shade-tolerant, but the leaves tend to turn green when shaded. Highly adaptable, drought-resistant. Prefers warmth, cold-tolerant. Strong萌芽 and branching, pruning-tolerant. Tolerates poor soil, but thrives in fertile, moist, slightly acidic soil.
