Abelia combines well with a wide variety of perennials, trees, shrubs and groundcovers.Use a smaller variety as edging along a pathway, as a foundation planting, or a stand-alone accent.Place midway in a border in combination with other complementary shrubs, small trees and perennials.Plant medium-sized varieties along your home’s foundation where they won’t become overgrown and obstruct window views.Site plants near your living room or kitchen window to enjoy hummingbirds and butterflies up close.Use as a background plant to set off flowering annuals and perennials.Plant a dwarf variety in a pot and place on a patio, deck or near your home’s front entrance for a dramatic focal point and up-close fragrance.Use a medium or larger variety as hedging to break the landscape into individual garden rooms.Plant a hedge along the front of your yard between the lawn and sidewalk as a living fence.There are many ways to incorporate abelia into your landscape. Deer resistance:ĭeer will leave it alone for the most part, though extreme conditions can result in deer grazing on plants they wouldn’t otherwise. Possible diseases include powdery mildew and anthracnose. When planted in optimal conditions, abelia exhibits few, if any problems. Irrigate once or twice a week during summer. Though drought and heat tolerant once established, it performs best with regular watering. Mulch around the root zone with organic matter to retain moisture and suppress weeds. Amendments & fertilizer:Īpply a slow-release fertilizer formulated for woody plants in early spring. Soil:Ībelia prefers slightly acidic, organically rich soil that’s kept moderately moist and drains well, but is tolerant of a variety of conditions. mosanensis) should be pruned lightly as needed just after flowering. Deciduous varieties that bloom on old wood (such as A. To reinvigorate your abelia, thin out up to a third of the branches every few years. Some varieties produce long, errant watershoots (thin shoots that grow out of the trunk or branches) cut those out whenever they appear. Remove any dead or damaged branches, and thin as needed to encourage new shoots. x grandiflora) blooms on new wood, prune in late winter to early spring before new growth emerges so that flowers are not sacrificed. Pruning and deadheading:Ībelia looks best when allowed to retain its natural shape and size. Sweet Emotion® abelia ( Abelila mosanensis). On this page: The Basics | Planting | Care and Maintenance | Choosing the Right Abelia | Pictures | Landscaping Tips Newer hybrids are bred for unique foliage color, showier flowers and compact sizes more suitable to small urban lots. x grandiflora), the most common garden species, produces shiny semi-evergreen leaves in colder zones, while retaining year-round color in warmer regions. Related to honeysuckle, the genus Abelia includes 30 species of deciduous and evergreen shrubs that are native to Eastern Asia and Mexico.

Fragrant tubular flowers bloom for months, making it a nonstop food source for hummingbirds, butterflies and insect pollinators. The eye-catching leaves come in many different colors-from gold to burgundy-that often change throughout the growing season. Grown for its attractive foliage and exceptionally long bloom time, it is virtually maintenance-free once established. Abelia is an ornamental shrub that is under-appreciated and underused in many parts of the country and is worth a second look. With today’s busy lifestyles, homeowners are always looking for ways to liven up their landscapes without a lot of effort.

Kaleidoscope abelia pruning