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 shade. Prune to shape immediately after flowering.
Noteworthy Characteristics
Weigela is a genus of about 12 species of deciduous shrubs from East Asia. They are grown for their showy spring flowers.
The genus name Weigela honors Christian Ehrenfried Weigel (1748-1831), German professor at the University of Geifswald.
A compact, densely rounded, deciduous shrub growing only to 3' tall with a similar spread. Primarily grown for its profuse, funnel-shaped, wine-red/yellow-throated flowers and its elliptic to obovate, purple-edged, yellowish-green foliage (to 4" long). Bloom occurs singly or in clusters all along the branches of the previous year's growth, frequently covering the entire shrub with flowers in June-July, with a less showy, intermittent repeat bloom occurring throughout the remaining summer.
Problems
No serious insect or disease problems.
Uses
Good flowering and foliage shrub. Specimen or group for shrub borders. Also effective as a hedge. May be incorporated into a foundation planting.