Weigela
( why - GAY - luh )
At-A-Glance InformationThis genus of deciduous shrubs is native to eastern Asia (China, Korea, and Japan) and needs full sun to light shade and regular water. The flowers will attract hummingbirds, bees and butterflies to your garden. They are at their best when in bloom in springtime, with showy displays of funnel shaped flowers. Great as background plants, as summer screening plants, or in mixed borders.
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Weigela Species and Varietals
The genus Weigela includes between 6 and 38 species, depending on the classification system, and is a member of the plant family Caprifoliaceae. The genus is named after the German scientist Christian Ehrenfried Weigel. The first species to be grown in gardens was Weigela florida, which was imported to England in 1845. There is a beautiful collection of Weigela in at the Scheffield Botanical Gardens. Weigela grows well in zones 1-11 and 14-21. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
Weigela florida (Weigela rosea)
Quickly reaches 6-10 feet tall and 9-12 feet wide, with arching branches and pink to rosey red flowers. There are many varieties of this species that are commonly grown:
Weigela hybrids
This group includes hybrids between Weigela florida and Weigela praecox. Commonly grown selections are listed below.
This group includes hybrids between Weigela florida and Weigela praecox. Commonly grown selections are listed below.
'Carnaval'
4-5 feet tall and wide, with pink flowers that bloom in late spring with a repeat fall show. Hummingbirds love this hybrid. |
'Dark Horse'
This compact plant reaches 3 feet tall and wide, with bronze-purple leaves that have lime-colored veining and magenta-pink flowers. Great for a low hedge or border shrub. |
'Minuet'
3 feet tall and 5 feet wide, with purple-tinted foliage. Flowers are red, purple and yellow. |
'Variegata'
4-6 feet tall and wide, with rose-red flowers and creamy yellow leaf edges. 'Variegata Nana' is about 3 feet tall and wide. |
Caring for and pruning Weigela shrubs
Plant Weigela shrubs in full sun to partial shade. The more sun these shrubs get, the more profusely they will flower. Soil should be moderately fertile; amend with plenty of organic matter before installing shrubs. Weigela prefers a pH of between 5.5 and 7.5, though this varies somewhat depending on the species so make sure to check before planting. Keep soil moist, watering deeply when soil is dry to the touch. While shrubs are establishing themselves, provide them with extra water so that
These shrubs can be cut back after flowering fades. Deadhead stems back to where an unflowering stems break off from the main stem. Cut some of the older stems to the ground. Thin new suckers, leaving a few of the most vigorous ones. You can also cut the entire plant down to about halfway to the ground just after blooms fade every other year. The dense new growth that results will bloom well in the next season.
Weigela shrubs can be fertilized in early springtime before new growth pops for the year. A balanced, water-soluble fertilizer is best when applied according to package instructions. Avoid over-fertilizing these plants, as it can lead to issues with imbalances in nutrients, and produce excessive foliage growth at the expense of flowering. Apply a layer of mulch around the base of the shrub after planting to suppress weed growth, regulate soil temperature, and retain soil moisture.
These shrubs can be cut back after flowering fades. Deadhead stems back to where an unflowering stems break off from the main stem. Cut some of the older stems to the ground. Thin new suckers, leaving a few of the most vigorous ones. You can also cut the entire plant down to about halfway to the ground just after blooms fade every other year. The dense new growth that results will bloom well in the next season.
Weigela shrubs can be fertilized in early springtime before new growth pops for the year. A balanced, water-soluble fertilizer is best when applied according to package instructions. Avoid over-fertilizing these plants, as it can lead to issues with imbalances in nutrients, and produce excessive foliage growth at the expense of flowering. Apply a layer of mulch around the base of the shrub after planting to suppress weed growth, regulate soil temperature, and retain soil moisture.
Propagation
Weigela can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your shrub, follow the instructions below:
Propagating Weigela by Cutting
Propagating Weigela by Seed
Propagating Weigela by Cutting
- Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
- In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
- Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
- Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.
Propagating Weigela by Seed
- Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
- Harvest your seeds in summer or early fall. Cut each flower head off of the plant and place them in a paper bag. Shake the bag to release the winged seeds.
- Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
- Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Problems and Pests
Weigela shrubs are susceptible to the following pests and diseases:
- Comstock Mealybug
- Aphids
- Scale Insects
- Spider Mites
Gallery
Videos
Learn about these amazing flowering shrubs.
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This is a wonderful variety of Weigela to grow.
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All about My Monet Weigela.
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How and when to trim your Weigela shrubs.
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Resources
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Page 654, Weigela
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