Weigela
Weigela florida
A popular deciduous shrub bearing masses of funnel-shaped flowers in late spring and early summer. Flowers are typically pink, red or white, and are very attractive to bees. Easy to grow in most UK garden soils, weigela is reliable and low-maintenance. Several cultivars offer bronze or variegated foliage for added interest. A dependable choice for mixed borders and cottage gardens.
How to grow weigela
Plant in autumn or spring in any reasonable garden soil. Weigela performs best in full sun, which produces the heaviest flowering and the richest foliage colours on purple-leaved varieties. It tolerates partial shade but may flower less freely. Water well during the first growing season while roots establish. Once settled, it is drought-tolerant and undemanding. Mulch each spring with garden compost or bark chips. Feed with a balanced fertiliser after pruning to encourage strong new growth. Weigela makes a good informal flowering hedge — plant 90cm apart. Purple-leaved cultivars like 'Follis Purpureis' and 'Wine and Roses' provide season-long colour even when not in flower.
Pruning
Prune immediately after flowering in midsummer. Cut back flowered shoots to strong young side branches. Remove one in three of the oldest stems at ground level each year to maintain a vigorous, well-shaped bush. This encourages fresh growth which carries the following year's flowers. Neglected specimens can be renovated by cutting all stems back to 30cm in late winter, though this sacrifices one season's flowers.
Propagation
- Softwood cuttings in early summer
- Hardwood cuttings in late autumn
- Semi-ripe cuttings in midsummer
Common problems
- Aphids on young shoots
- Leaf spot in wet summers
- Can become leggy without pruning