Variegated Weigela
It is one of the bushes with the most beautiful flowers of our gardens and with a really agile growth.
It comes from northern China and forms a compact shrub with woody stems and deciduous leaves, which can easily reach 2 to 3 meters in height and almost the same in width.
It is also a very branched bush, perfect for upholstering metal structures or the covering of medium-sized walls.
For terraces you can grow in large pots, or keep it with a more limited size in small gardens; anyway.
It is impressive to see the Weigela covered entirely by the flowering, it becomes so in number of flowers that it covers it that it is even difficult to see the foliage.
Its leaves are oval dark green variegated in the center and creamy white towards the edge; the edges of the leaves are finely toothed and profiled with a thin line of reddish color.
Although we can also find this shrub with fully green leaves ( Weigela florida ), it is undoubtedly this variety of variegated colors the most striking and attractive, even when it is not in flower, given the ornamental of its leaves.
The flowers emerge solitary or in axillary clusters formed a large number, are funnel-shaped about 3 cm long, with 5 petals joined by the base; They are pink, red or white, the inside of the throat has a more intense pink color.
Its rich flowering appears from May to June and some solitary flowers are born even after this period. The flowers are attractive for butterflies and hummingbirds.
It thrives in locations in full sun, but tolerates a light shade. The less sunny locations will be preferable in areas with long and ardent summers, since the leaves can get to burn by effect of the intense sun.
It is undemanding in terms of soils, since it adapts and tolerates various light, porous, and very nutritious conditions, neither with excess water nor too dry.
It is especially well adapted to withstand the cold conditions that occur in winter, but will not withstand frost situations.
In these cases, the entire aerial part will be lost if it freezes during the harsh winters, but the bush usually recovers with the arrival of spring.
For areas of severe winters, it should be protected by covering it with plastics or other material that isolates it from the cold, but allows it to reach the sunlight.
The pruning should be undertaken every year if the plant is becoming an ungainly and unattractive bush.
A soft pruning can make the successive flowering more fertile, this should be done just once the flowering is finished.
It is not difficult to propagate it, a task that can be practiced practically during almost all the year, although the warm months are produced in a more comfortable way. To do this, young or semi-mature stakes must be taken from the plant.
I am Don Burke, one of the authors at My Garden Guide. I am a horticulturist that cultivates, grows, and cares for plants, ranging from shrubs and fruits to flowers. I do it in my own garden and in my nursery. I show you how to take care of your garden and how to perform garden landscaping in an easy way, step by step.I am originally from Sydney and I wrote in local magazines. Later on, I have decided, more than two decades ago, to create my own blog. My area of specialization is related to orchid care, succulent care, and the study of the substrate and the soil. Therefore, you will see many articles dedicated to these disciplines. I also provide advice about how to improve the landscape design of your garden.
