Culture
Easily grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Needs full sun for best flowering and foliage color, but will tolerate very light or sun dappled shade. Blooms on old wood. Prune to shape immediately after flowering. Propagate by stem cuttings or by seed.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Weigela hortensis, commonly called weigela, is a dense, rounded, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrub in the honeysuckle family that typically grows to 10’ tall and as wide. It is native to Japan. Opposite, acuminate, serrate-margined, ovate to obovate leaves (2-4” long) are subglabrous above but densely pubescent beneath. Narrow, tubular-campanulate, rose-pink flowers (1.5” long) bloom profusely in groups of three atop pubescent stalks rising from the branch ends and leaf axils in late spring to early summer (May-June).
Some authorities consider Diervilla hortensis to be a synonym of this plant.
The genus name Weigela honors Christian Ehrenfried Weigel (1748-1831), German professor at the University of Geifswald.
Specific epithet from Latin means belonging to a garden.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
Uses
Borders, property margins and foundations. Woodland gardens. Hedge or summer screen.