Weigela: Shrub With Spectacular Flowers

Weigela is an attractive deciduous shrub that is available in a wide range of colours, each in its foliage, and flowers. The foliage colours embody darkish inexperienced leaves, vibrant inexperienced leaves, darkish purple leaves, and even variegated foliage. 

A number of the hottest weigela flower colours embody vibrant pink flowers, pink flowers, and white flowers though they will additionally produce yellow, purple, orange, rose pink flowers, and magenta blooms. It makes a fantastic addition to any panorama alongside borders or pathways or as basis plantings close to your own home. 

Given correct rising situations, pink, pink, or white weigela blooms create a pretty background for any backyard as its inexperienced foliage is roofed in flowers for the primary half of the rising season. Weigela shrubs are nearly carefree and low upkeep, and develop fortunately in backyard floor or in containers. 

Nonetheless, they require common pruning. Select your planting web site rigorously. These shrubs tolerate partial shade publicity, however should you plant Weigela in an space that receives full solar, you’ll be rewarded with rosy pink flowers from early spring, via late spring, into early summer time. 

As soon as established, rising Weigela is a breeze. There are dwarf varieties that may be grown in containers should you don’t want to completely dedicate an space of your panorama to this shrub. One factor is for positive, Weigela blooms create a habitat for pollinators (like hummingbirds) and an attention-grabbing border or background in your backyard whether or not you select vibrant pink flowers or variegated foliage. 

Good Merchandise At Amazon For Rising Weigela:

Fast Care Information

Weigela flowers develop in clusters. Supply: pstenzel71
Widespread Identify Weigela, Rose weigela
Scientific Identify Weigela florida
Household Caprifoliaceae
Top & Unfold Customary varieties develop to 10 ft tall, dwarf varieties similar to Minuet develop to three ft tall
Mild Full solar, tolerates gentle shade
Soil Moist, well-drained soil
Water An inch each 10 days
Pests & Illnesses Grey mildew, wooden rot, aphids

All About Weigela

Weigela is typically known as rose weigela as a result of its flowers resemble wild roses. Weigela varieties appear countless. Wine Roses is called for its deep pink flowers that appear like a glass of pink wine. One other well-liked selection, Crimson Prince, is understood for its lipstick pink flowers that provide a pop of shade towards its darkish inexperienced leaves. 

Weigela florida is within the honeysuckle household. Like many crops on this household, it attracts hummingbirds and butterflies. Weigela is a perennial that originated in East Asia and grows greatest in USDA hardiness zones 4-8. 

Weigela florida was named after the German botanist Christian Ehrenfried Weigel. The “florida” species refers to not the state of Florida, however fairly to the plentiful flowers that this shrub produces as “florid” means flowery or showy. 

This beautiful planting is taken into account one of many confirmed winners you’ll discover within the nursery. Search for this signal to find out that are the hardiest varieties. Most retailers carry Crimson Prince weigela in containers together with those who develop pink and white flowers in spring. 

Their blooms seem in a backyard in spring and summer time, sitting atop tall woody stems with stark foliage. When fall arrives, the blooms die again and emerge within the following spring and early summer time. 

Weigela shouldn’t be thought of to be poisonous to folks or pets. It’s deer resistant and comparatively pest-free. The flowers have an unbelievable scent described as floral and really candy. Planting weigela is bound to draw beautiful hummingbirds to your backyard as effectively.

Now let’s focus on some ideas for rising this shrub.  

Weigela Care

Flower buds
Flower buds making ready to open. Supply: Gail Frederick

Rising Weigela and weigela care in your backyard are simple. If you plant weigela in a location with satisfactory solar, common watering, and annual pruning you’ll benefit from the spring bloom of those confirmed winners for years to return. Listed here are some ideas!

Solar and Temperature

To get essentially the most pink blooms, weigela must be planted in an space that receives full solar, or 6-8 hours of solar per day. It tolerates half shade. Shaded crops could produce fewer flowers. 

Weigela care is much like that wanted for lilac bushes. The plant thrives in zones with a chilly winter and temperate summer time. Dormancy in winter is required for the crops to retailer power, for the buds to mature, after which bloom within the spring. 

They do greatest in a backyard in zones 4-8. In hotter climates, they don’t obtain the nippiness hours that they want. In colder climates, excessive winter climate situations can kill the plant. 

In its best rising zones there isn’t a safety wanted in the course of the winter, though a frost material can be utilized to guard the inexperienced foliage or variegated foliage if temperatures dip down beneath 20 levels Fahrenheit for an prolonged interval. 

Water and Humidity

Weigela florida shrubs want common watering, particularly when they’re getting established. Maintain the roots moist, however not waterlogged within the first few weeks after planting. As soon as they’re established an inch of water each 10 days is all you want. Place a hose on the base of the plant and keep away from wetting the foliage when watering. 

As soon as the foliage drops and the shrub goes dormant in winter watering is not obligatory. For those who plant weigela in full solar, it could want water extra usually in early summer time or late spring as temperatures rise. 

Soil

Variegated weigela foliage
Some types of weigela have variegated foliage. Supply: Ruth and Dave

Rising Weigela florida is greatest in moist, well-drained soil. Nonetheless, it’s identified for its capacity to tolerate poor soil situations. It might probably survive in sandy, silty, and clay soil sorts. It even can survive a variety of ph situations from acidic (ph 3.6) to impartial (ph 7). 

The truth is, this shrub could be propagated by way of cuttings planted dectly into the sand. Extra on that later! Fill containers with common backyard soil should you select. 

Fertilizing

There are two good choices for fertilizing your Weigela, though it doesn’t want any fertilizer. You possibly can fertilize within the spring after the final frost date, however earlier than measurable new leaves have appeared. A well-balanced granular fertilizing agent utilized across the base of the shrub and watered in works greatest. The second possibility is to fertilize in late winter utilizing the identical technique. 

Fertilizing in late winter encourages new development and pink weigela blooms to look earlier within the spring fairly than in late spring. 

Pruning

Pruning weigela is crucial process in terms of rising weigela. The general well being of your plant additionally hinges on this process. It requires annual pruning due to its quick development charge. Weigela  dies again within the winter which might kill older canes. Take away any previous useless or dying wooden to make method for spurts of development within the late winter or early spring. Deadhead the pink flowers after they’ve bloomed within the late spring to get a second flush in the summertime. 

Notice that Weigela blooms on previous wooden so solely take away wooden that’s useless or broken in any other case you run the chance of eradicating subsequent yr’s flower buds. For those who’re pruning for general shaping, then it’s greatest to prune proper after the weigela blooms have completed so that you’ve a visible reference of the spent blooms, which can point out the wooden that can be producing flowers for subsequent yr. 

Weigela Propagation

Weigela florida could be propagated by way of cuttings. Take a slicing from the inexperienced newer development on a rising weigela fairly than from previous woody stems in late spring or fall. Place cuttings instantly into sand and mist with water as soon as a day. Roots will start to look at about 1-2 weeks. Rooting hormone can assist pace the method however shouldn’t be obligatory. 

Parts may also be dug up, divided, and replanted in the identical method the unique shrub was transplanted. After the blooms are spent on the finish of the season every spent bloom will produce seed pods. You possibly can harvest these seeds and propagate it this fashion as effectively, though this takes for much longer, and tiny seedlings want way more care and a spotlight than cuttings. 

Troubleshooting

Fully opened flowers
As soon as absolutely opened, the flowers begin to curl their petals again. Supply: pstenzel71

Weigela florida is a low-maintenance robust and hardy shrub. Rising Weigela is comparatively trouble-free, however there are a number of potential points to notice. Total, you’ll discover weigela care is straightforward.  

Weigela Rising Issues

Widespread rising issues are typically associated to the above-mentioned weigela care necessities not being met. A scarcity of blossoms on the crops, poor development, foliage yellowing, or leaf browning may very well be an indication of an environmental problem. A scarcity of blossoms on the crops and poor development could point out that your shrub shouldn’t be receiving sufficient daylight within the backyard web site. 

Weigela can tolerate gentle shade however will produce essentially the most gorgeous blooms when given full solar. Leaf yellowing is mostly an indicator that there’s a nutrient deficiency, and it could be time to contemplate including some fertilizer within the method talked about above.

The most typical rising drawback with new crops is both over or under-watering. Leaf browning could be a signal of those points. Really feel the highest few inches of the soil to find out which one is inflicting the issue. Within the case of overwatering, stop watering till the highest few inches of the soil are utterly dried out, and make it possible for your backyard soil is well-draining. 

Within the case of underwatering, be certain that so as to add your shrub to a watering schedule or timed computerized watering system, particularly in case your crops expertise burnt leaves in late summer time. 

Weigela Pests

Aphids are the most typical pest problem for Weigela florida shrubs. An aphid infestation that’s allowed to go unchecked will increase the specter of aphid-borne viruses. The vast majority of plant viruses are unfold by bugs, and if an aphid feeds on an contaminated plant, it could transfer on to a wholesome plant after which unfold the illness additional. For those who see leaf curling or discover them congregating, that’s an indication it’s time to deal with your plant for aphids. 

Some useful bugs similar to ladybugs and lacewings will fortunately devour aphids, particularly should you present them with good habitat and overwintering websites (as can be offered by your shrub). Nonetheless, aphids can multiply at an alarming charge. For those who see aphids starting to look within the panorama, use a blast of water to knock them off the plant. In the event that they preserve popping up then take into account a foliar spray of insecticidal cleaning soap, neem oil, or prune essentially the most contaminated leaves and get rid of them fully.  

Weigela Illnesses

Grey mildew, which is attributable to the fungus botrytis cinerea, seems as a blight. Grey mildew impacts the flower petals and can seem as brown lesions on every bloom and drastically cut back the quantity of enticing flowers. Take away contaminated plnumberterial and make sure to burn it. Burning is the advisable disposal technique to keep away from spreading grey mildew to wholesome crops in your panorama. Be certain to wash your pruners after eradicating contaminated wooden ideas. If the fungus has already progressed previous the purpose of pruning a number of blooms, then chances are you’ll need to take into account an software of fungicide containing chlorothalonil.

Fungal ailments similar to wooden rot fungus solely happen on plant materials that’s already useless or dying. For that reason prune useless wooden every year as a preventative measure. It might probably seem as a fuzzy development, or mushrooms could seem. There isn’t a treatment because it solely impacts wooden that’s already useless and dying. Removing of the plant could also be obligatory. No particular disposal technique is required as this fungus can’t infect wholesome crops.

Continuously Requested Questions

Fully blooming weigela
When absolutely blooming, weigela is an unbelievable sight. Supply: normanack

Q: The place is one of the best place to plant a weigela?

A: Weigela care includes giving them full solar. Though they will tolerate partial shade, they might not produce as many flowers.

Q: How large does weigela get?

A: Customary Weigela florida can develop as much as 4-5 ft tall. Nonetheless, there are additionally dwarf varieties accessible and varieties that may develop as much as 30 ft tall. 

Q: Do you in the reduction of weigela?

A: Sure, prune your shrub yearly.

Q: How briskly do weigela develop?

A: They’ve a average development charge and may develop 12-24 inches per yr beneath best situations.

Q: What do you do with weigela within the winter?

A: Weigela will drop its inexperienced foliage and go dormant within the winter. No particular care is required. 

Q: What can I plant subsequent to weigela?

A: Plant a floor cowl across the base to assist retain moisture within the soil. This additionally protects your plant’s roots in late summer time when the solar is sizzling, and in fall and winter when the soil will get chilly. 

Q: Do weigela bloom all summer time?

A: Sure and no, they may bloom in early to mid-spring. They are often coaxed right into a second bloom in the summertime by slicing again the spent flowers of the spring bloom. 

Q: Can weigela be divided?

A: Sure, parts could be dug up and divided. 

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