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Weigela florida

Common Name(s):

Phonetic Spelling
wy-GEE-la FLOR-id-ah
Description

Weigela is in the Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle) family and is native to North China, Korea, and Japan. The epithet, florida, means "beautiful." This plant is a dense, rounded, deciduous shrub with somewhat coarse branches that tend to arch toward the ground as the shrub reaches maturity. For approximately two weeks, in each mid-to late spring, after the leaves emerge, showy, rosy-colored tubular flowers cover the shrub and have a repeat, though sparser, performance in mid to late summer.  Plant this shrub in the full sun to light shade or dappled sunlight, though the best flowering and foliage color will occur in full sun. 

Weigela typically grows from 6 to 10 feet tall and 9 to 12 feet wide; however, cultivars tend to be smaller. When mature, older interior branches can be removed in late winter to improve the plant's vigor and blooms the following year. This plant blooms on old wood, therefore, pruning is best done just after flowering as flowers appear on last season's wood.  If not pruned, branches will form a fountain-like outline which is highly ornamental while covered with blooms, but over time it can take on a weedier appearance. Prune if necessary to help maintain the plant's size and shape. 

In the United States and North America, this shrub is used in the landscape as a foundation plant, in a mass planting, or on a shrub border. Many of the dwarf cultivars can be grown as container plants. Weigela is air pollution and clay soil tolerant and is lightly salt tolerant. 

Cultivars available include variegated leaf forms and many anthocyanin-hued (red, blue, or purple) flowers as well as a yellow-flowered cultivar. 

Seasons of Interest:

Bloom:  Spring and Summer     Foliage:  Spring, Summer, and Fall

Quick ID

  • Stems of new growth have 2 vertical rows of white 'hair'
  • Axillary tubular-campanulate flowers after leaves
  • Deciduous shrub with opposite, ovate, acuminate leaf
  • Stipular scars encircle stems

Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Minimal insect and disease damage.   It may be damaged by deer.  May experience winter dieback.

VIDEO created by Andy Pulte for “Landscape Plant Identification, Taxonomy and Morphology” a plant identification course offered by the Department of Plant Sciences, University of Tennessee.

 

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Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Alexandra'
    Rose red blooms with glossy burgundy leaves.
  • 'Bokraspiwi'
    Wavy, deep purple leaves, hot pink flowers.
  • 'Brigela'
    Variegated, red blooms.
  • 'Bristol Ruby'
    Deep red flowers. Up to 8' tall.
  • 'Bristol Snowflake'
    Vigorous, pink tinged blooms.
  • 'Canary'
    Light yellow flowers fade to pink.
  • 'Candida'
    White flowers, bright green leaves, grows to 8'.
  • 'Carnaval'
    Red, white and pink blooms on same plant.
  • 'Courtalor'
    Same as 'Carnaval'
  • 'Dark Horse'
    Burgundy foliage, deep pink flowers.
  • 'Elvira'
    Dwarf form of 'Alexandra', up to 3' tall.
  • 'Eva Rathke'
    Compact, 4-5', long blooming period.
  • 'Foliis Purpireis'
    Same as 'Java Red'.
  • 'Foliis Purpureis'
    Grows up to 39" tall.
  • 'Java Red'
    Compact form up to 4'. Red, white and pink blooms on same plant.
  • 'Midnight Wine'
    Dark burgundy foliage with pink flowers.
  • 'Minuet'
    Purple-green foliage, magenta-rose or pale purple flowers.
  • 'Minuet'
    Up to 30" tall. Red-purple flowers with leaves with a reddish tinge.
  • 'Pink Delight'
    Pink blooms that do not fade. 6' tall and wide.
  • 'Pink Princess'
    Pink blooms that do not fade. 6' tall and wide.
  • 'Polka'
    Deep pink blooms, 4' tall.
  • 'Red Prince' Weigela florida 'Red prince'
    Brilliant red color bloom from late spring into early summer, up to 6'.
  • 'Rubidor'
    Gold leaves with red blooms. Up to 7' tall.
  • 'Rubigold'
    Same as 'Rubidor'
  • 'Rumba'
    Compact 3' with yellow-green leaves edged with purple. Red flowers with yellowish throat.
  • 'Sunny Princess'
    Similar to 'Pink Delight', variegated with thin yellow margin on the foliage.
  • 'Sunset' Weigela florida 'Sunset' PP23,212
    Unique variegated foliage with green centers and multicolored margins
  • 'Variegata'
    Leaves edged with creamy white margin. Rose-pink blooms. Compact and mounded up to 6' tall.
  • 'Variegata Nana'
    Similar to 'Variegata', smaller growing to 4'.
  • 'Victoria'
    Same as 'Alexandra'
  • 'White Knight'
    White flowers, densely-branched compact habit to 6' tall and wide.
  • 'Wine and Roses'
    Dark purple foliage and rosey pink flowers
'Alexandra', 'Bokraspiwi', 'Brigela', 'Bristol Ruby', 'Bristol Snowflake', 'Canary', 'Candida', 'Carnaval', 'Courtalor', 'Dark Horse', 'Elvira', 'Eva Rathke', 'Foliis Purpireis', 'Foliis Purpureis', 'Java Red', 'Midnight Wine', 'Minuet', 'Minuet', 'Pink Delight', 'Pink Princess', 'Polka', 'Red Prince', 'Rubidor', 'Rubigold', 'Rumba', 'Sunny Princess', 'Sunset', 'Variegata', 'Variegata Nana', 'Victoria', 'White Knight', 'Wine and Roses'
Tags:
#cultivars#hummingbird friendly#showy flowers#deciduous#pink flowers#deciduous shrub#nectar plant#salt tolerant#shade garden#spring flowers#air pollution tolerant#transplant#deer resistant#adaptable#pollinator plant#fantz#clay soils tolerant#butterfly friendly#landscape plant sleuths course#hedge#wildlife friendly#cpp
 
Cultivars / Varieties:
  • 'Alexandra'
    Rose red blooms with glossy burgundy leaves.
  • 'Bokraspiwi'
    Wavy, deep purple leaves, hot pink flowers.
  • 'Brigela'
    Variegated, red blooms.
  • 'Bristol Ruby'
    Deep red flowers. Up to 8' tall.
  • 'Bristol Snowflake'
    Vigorous, pink tinged blooms.
  • 'Canary'
    Light yellow flowers fade to pink.
  • 'Candida'
    White flowers, bright green leaves, grows to 8'.
  • 'Carnaval'
    Red, white and pink blooms on same plant.
  • 'Courtalor'
    Same as 'Carnaval'
  • 'Dark Horse'
    Burgundy foliage, deep pink flowers.
  • 'Elvira'
    Dwarf form of 'Alexandra', up to 3' tall.
  • 'Eva Rathke'
    Compact, 4-5', long blooming period.
  • 'Foliis Purpireis'
    Same as 'Java Red'.
  • 'Foliis Purpureis'
    Grows up to 39" tall.
  • 'Java Red'
    Compact form up to 4'. Red, white and pink blooms on same plant.
  • 'Midnight Wine'
    Dark burgundy foliage with pink flowers.
  • 'Minuet'
    Purple-green foliage, magenta-rose or pale purple flowers.
  • 'Minuet'
    Up to 30" tall. Red-purple flowers with leaves with a reddish tinge.
  • 'Pink Delight'
    Pink blooms that do not fade. 6' tall and wide.
  • 'Pink Princess'
    Pink blooms that do not fade. 6' tall and wide.
  • 'Polka'
    Deep pink blooms, 4' tall.
  • 'Red Prince' Weigela florida 'Red prince'
    Brilliant red color bloom from late spring into early summer, up to 6'.
  • 'Rubidor'
    Gold leaves with red blooms. Up to 7' tall.
  • 'Rubigold'
    Same as 'Rubidor'
  • 'Rumba'
    Compact 3' with yellow-green leaves edged with purple. Red flowers with yellowish throat.
  • 'Sunny Princess'
    Similar to 'Pink Delight', variegated with thin yellow margin on the foliage.
  • 'Sunset' Weigela florida 'Sunset' PP23,212
    Unique variegated foliage with green centers and multicolored margins
  • 'Variegata'
    Leaves edged with creamy white margin. Rose-pink blooms. Compact and mounded up to 6' tall.
  • 'Variegata Nana'
    Similar to 'Variegata', smaller growing to 4'.
  • 'Victoria'
    Same as 'Alexandra'
  • 'White Knight'
    White flowers, densely-branched compact habit to 6' tall and wide.
  • 'Wine and Roses'
    Dark purple foliage and rosey pink flowers
'Alexandra', 'Bokraspiwi', 'Brigela', 'Bristol Ruby', 'Bristol Snowflake', 'Canary', 'Candida', 'Carnaval', 'Courtalor', 'Dark Horse', 'Elvira', 'Eva Rathke', 'Foliis Purpireis', 'Foliis Purpureis', 'Java Red', 'Midnight Wine', 'Minuet', 'Minuet', 'Pink Delight', 'Pink Princess', 'Polka', 'Red Prince', 'Rubidor', 'Rubigold', 'Rumba', 'Sunny Princess', 'Sunset', 'Variegata', 'Variegata Nana', 'Victoria', 'White Knight', 'Wine and Roses'
Tags:
#cultivars#hummingbird friendly#showy flowers#deciduous#pink flowers#deciduous shrub#nectar plant#salt tolerant#shade garden#spring flowers#air pollution tolerant#transplant#deer resistant#adaptable#pollinator plant#fantz#clay soils tolerant#butterfly friendly#landscape plant sleuths course#hedge#wildlife friendly#cpp
  • Attributes:
    Genus:
    Weigela
    Species:
    florida
    Family:
    Caprifoliaceae
    Life Cycle:
    Woody
    Recommended Propagation Strategy:
    Stem Cutting
    Country Or Region Of Origin:
    Northern China, Korea and Japan
    Wildlife Value:
    Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies.
    Play Value:
    Attractive Flowers
    Attracts Pollinators
    Buffer
    Easy to Grow
    Screening
    Dimensions:
    Height: 6 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.
    Width: 9 ft. 0 in. - 12 ft. 0 in.
  • Whole Plant Traits:
    Plant Type:
    Perennial
    Shrub
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Habit/Form:
    Arching
    Dense
    Erect
    Rounded
    Spreading
    Growth Rate:
    Medium
    Maintenance:
    Low
    Texture:
    Medium
  • Cultural Conditions:
    Light:
    Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
    Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
    Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
    Soil Texture:
    Clay
    Loam (Silt)
    Sand
    Soil pH:
    Acid (<6.0)
    Alkaline (>8.0)
    Neutral (6.0-8.0)
    Soil Drainage:
    Good Drainage
    Moist
    Available Space To Plant:
    12-24 feet
    NC Region:
    Coastal
    Mountains
    Piedmont
    USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
    4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 8a, 8b
  • Fruit:
    Fruit Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Fruit Type:
    Capsule
    Fruit Description:
    Inconspicuous fruit is a 2-valved oblong capsule. The seeds are unwinged to slightly winged.
  • Flowers:
    Flower Color:
    Pink
    Red/Burgundy
    White
    Flower Inflorescence:
    Cyme
    Flower Value To Gardener:
    Good Cut
    Showy
    Flower Bloom Time:
    Spring
    Summer
    Flower Shape:
    Trumpet
    Flower Petals:
    4-5 petals/rays
    Flower Size:
    1-3 inches
    Flower Description:
    The flowers are white, pink and red trumpet-shaped being 1.25 inches long that bloom profusely in spring, with sparse and scattered repeat bloom, often occurring in mid to late summer. Inflorescence is cymose, axillary, blooms in late spring.
  • Leaves:
    Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
    Deciduous
    Leaf Color:
    Black
    Green
    Purple/Lavender
    Red/Burgundy
    Variegated
    Leaf Value To Gardener:
    Showy
    Leaf Type:
    Simple
    Leaf Arrangement:
    Opposite
    Leaf Shape:
    Elliptical
    Oblong
    Obovate
    Ovate
    Leaf Margin:
    Serrate
    Hairs Present:
    No
    Leaf Length:
    3-6 inches
    Leaf Width:
    < 1 inch
    Leaf Description:
    Leaves are opposite, simple ovate-oblong to obovate, acuminate, serrate, glabrous above except on mid-rib, pubescent on veins beneath; petiole short, ca .2 inches. The leaves vary in color from green. black, purple, burgundy, or variegated depending on the cultivar.
  • Bark:
    Bark Color:
    Light Brown
    Light Gray
    Surface/Attachment:
    Lenticels
    Bark Description:
    The bark has rows of hair between the nodes.
  • Stem:
    Stem Color:
    Brown/Copper
    Gray/Silver
    Stem Is Aromatic:
    No
    Stem Surface:
    Hairy (pubescent)
    Stem Description:
    Stem is gray-brown, encircled by stipular scar, large circular lenticels; vertical row of white pubescence on new growth.
  • Landscape:
    Landscape Location:
    Container
    Meadow
    Patio
    Pool/Hardscape
    Recreational Play Area
    Slope/Bank
    Walkways
    Landscape Theme:
    Cottage Garden
    Pollinator Garden
    Design Feature:
    Accent
    Barrier
    Border
    Foundation Planting
    Hedge
    Mass Planting
    Screen/Privacy
    Small groups
    Specimen
    Attracts:
    Butterflies
    Hummingbirds
    Resistance To Challenges:
    Deer
    Salt