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Weigela spp.

weigela bushes

Caprifoliaceae Eastern Asia

Attracts Pollinators Attracts Butterflies Attracts Hummingbirds

SunFull Sun – Part Shade

WaterMedium

HardinessZones 4–8

Overview

Weigela spp. is a genus of about a dozen species of deciduous shrubs in the family Caprifoliaceae, native to eastern Asia in China, Korea, Japan, and the Russian Far East. Plants form rounded, arching shrubs 3–10 feet (1–3 m) tall and wide, with opposite, toothed leaves on slender, spreading branches. In late spring and early summer the branches are lined with funnel-shaped flowers about 1–1.5 inches (2.5–4 cm) long, in shades of pink, red, white, and pale yellow; the tubular form draws hummingbirds and long-tongued insects. The flowers open mainly on growth made the previous year, and some garden forms produce a lighter second flush in late summer. Many cultivated kinds, derived largely from W. florida, have dark purple or variegated foliage that holds colour through the season. The shrubs are quick-growing and adaptable but can become twiggy and bare at the base with age unless older stems are removed. Weigela spp. loses its leaves in winter and shows little autumn colour. Plants grow in full sun to light shade in any reasonably fertile, well-drained soil and flower most freely in an open, sunny position.

Native Range

Weigela spp. is native to eastern Asia, including China, Korea, Japan, and the Russian Far East, where it grows in mountain woodland, thickets, and forest margins. Most garden plants derive from W. florida and its hybrids.

Suggested Uses

Weigela spp. is planted in shrub borders, foundation plantings, and informal hedges, and in wildlife gardens for its nectar-rich flowers. Dark-leaved and variegated cultivars are used for foliage contrast through the season. Compact forms are grown in containers and at the front of borders.

How to Identify

Identify Weigela spp. by its arching shrubby habit and the rows of funnel-shaped flowers, pink to red or white, that line the previous year's stems in late spring. The leaves are opposite, simple, and toothed, with no stipules. The lack of fragrance and the tubular flowers separate it from similar spring shrubs.

Appearance

Size & Dimensions

Height3' - 10'

Width/Spread3' - 10'

Colors

Flower Colors

red

Foliage Colors

Fall Foliage Colors

Bloom Information

Bloom Period

~4 weeks

Spring Summer

The main flush of flowers opens in late spring to early summer on shoots formed the previous year, lasting about three to four weeks. Some modern cultivars rebloom more lightly on new growth into late summer. The funnel flowers are visited by hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies.

Detailed Descriptions

Flower Description

Pink, red, white, or yellow

Foliage Description

Green, purple in some cultivars

Growing Conditions

Sun Requirements

SunFull Sun SunPartial Shade

Requires 4-8 hours of direct sunlight daily

• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight

• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight

• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight

Soil Requirements

pH Range5.5 - 7.5(Neutral)

357912

Soil Types

loam clay sand

Drainagewell drained

Water & Climate

Water Needs

Medium

Frost Tolerance

hardy

Care & Maintenance

Care Guide

Grow Weigela spp. in full sun to light shade in any fertile, well-drained soil, with the fullest flowering and the strongest leaf colour in sun. Water during dry spells in the first few seasons and through drought once established. Plants are hardy in USDA zones 4 to 8 and need no winter protection in that range. Because flowers form on the previous year's wood, plants are pruned right after flowering rather than in winter. Removing a few of the oldest stems at the base each year keeps the shrub from becoming twiggy and bare below. Pests and diseases are few, though aphids may gather on new shoots.

Pruning

Prune Weigela spp. immediately after the main flowering, since next year's flowers form on the current season's new growth. Cut back the stems that have just bloomed and remove one or two of the oldest branches at ground level to renew the shrub. Hard winter pruning removes the coming season's flower buds and is not done.