Question
I planted a loropetulum last Fall in my back yard-afternoon sun-and it is losing most of its leaves.  I noticed the same thing happened to my neighbors. My front yard loropetulums are doing great though...also in afternoon sun.  Do you know what the problem is?

Answer
Sunny,

The only thing that I can attribute the die back to would be low temperature injury. Did the temperatures drop below zero or is the plant in the front sheltered from the wind. Chinese Fringe-flower is normally a very hardy species in zones 7-9.

To help it recover, amend the soil around it with compost and fertilize it with a low nitrogen fertilizer.

Good luck,
Ed Gulliksen