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Abelia grandiflora

Glossy Abelia

Abelia grandiflora is a medium-sized glossy hybrid Abelia. It is a deciduous or semi-evergreen multi-stemmed shrub with rounded, spreading, or gracefully arching branches that achieve the size of 1-1,8 m tall.They bear small glossy oval leaves and clusters of pale pink, slightly fragrant flowers over a long period from mid-summer.

↕ 100 cm – 150 cm ❄ -15 °C ☀ sun, half shade

Flowering period

jan
feb
Mar
apr
may
jun
jul
aug
sep
oct
nov
dec

Planting period

jan
feb
Mar
apr
may
jun
jul
aug
sep
oct
nov
dec
Ideal (Sep–Jan)
Possible (until May)
Not recommended

About this plant

Abelia

Abelias (Abelia) are deciduous to semi-evergreen shrubs from East Asia, mainly China, with gracefully arching branches. They are valued for their long, scented flowering of small white to pink trumpet flowers, and for the coppery calyces that remain after the flowers have dropped, set against foliage that often turns purplish in autumn.

Glossy Abelia Abelia grandiflora

Abelia × grandiflora is a vigorous garden hybrid of Abelia chinensis and Abelia uniflora, forming a rounded shrub slightly wider than tall, up to around 2.5 m. Its glossy, dark green, semi-evergreen leaves turn purplish in autumn. From July to September or October it bears clusters of scented, pinkish-white to mauve funnel-shaped flowers, followed by long-lasting russet calyces.

Location and soil

Grows in sun or partial shade in any well-drained soil, including chalky and fairly poor ground; avoid heavy, wet clay. Once established it tolerates drought well. It withstands moderate frost for short periods; in a severe winter the leaves may drop or shoot tips may die back, but the shrub usually recovers. A sheltered position is best in colder areas.

Pruning and care

Low-maintenance and rarely troubled by pests or diseases. Tidy the shrub at the end of winter, from February to April, by removing dead, thin or crossing stems at the base; hedges can be trimmed with shears at the same time to keep them dense. Water regularly in the first two summers and mulch the base before winter for the first few years.

Use in the garden

A versatile shrub for mixed borders, as a solitary specimen and for informal or clipped flowering hedges, combining well with deutzias, roses with single flowers and other summer-flowering shrubs. It can also be grown in a very large container. Over the long flowering season it draws butterflies and bees.

Characteristics

Botanical

Family Caprifoliaceae
Genus Abelia
Species grandiflora

Flowering

Flowering period june, july, august, september
Colour (flower) white, pink

Foliage

Evergreen yes
Colour (foliage) green
Autumn colour red, violet

Growth habit

Height 100 cm, 150 cm
Growth rate slow

Location

Winter hardiness -15 °C
Soil type kalkrijk, neutral
Soil type kalkrijk, neutral
Location sun, half shade
Wind resistant normal
Soil moisture dry, normal

Use

Type (use) shrub, solitary, in group, terrace plant

Care

Pruning yes