Glossy Abelia

Abelia grandiflora

Abelia grandiflora is a hybrid of the Chinese shrubs A. chinensis & A. uniflora. It has two-inch long one-inch wide pointed lustrous leaves. Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. It likes soil on the acidic side. In deeper shade it would get lanky & stop blooming.

It is semi-evergreen and has moderate growth rate. In my experience it stays pretty much evergreen here in zone 8. Best flowering in full sun. Blooms on new wood, so prune as needed (e.g., thin to the ground up to 1/3 of old stems and any stems lost to winter) in late winter to early spring. It's best to remove the older branches to the base, in order to preserve the arching stems. The trumpet flowers are liked by hummingbirds & butterflies. They make nice cuttings for bouquets. The flowers are mildly fragrant. Some but not all of its leaves take on a burnished or brassy hue in winter with some very coppery red leaves.

Glossy Abelia has no serious insect or disease problems. It is often used as a specimen or grouping for shrub borders or foundations. It is also effective as an informal hedge (plants tend to lose attractive graceful shape if pruned or sheared to a more formal hedge look). Left unpruned Glossy Abelia can reach as much as eight feet wide or wider, & six feet high, with an arching appearance not quite as dense as when it is hedged each year.

Abelia grandiflora 'Edward Goucher'

This glossy abelia hybrid is a compact, bushy, somewhat spreading, multi-stemmed shrub in the honeysuckle family. Typically grows on gracefully arching branches to 3-5' tall and 4-5' wide. Features clusters of lavender-pink, funnel-shaped flowers (to 3/4" long) with orangish yellow throats. Flowers bloom from mid-summer into fall. Ovate, glossy, dark green leaves (to 1.25" long) turn purplish-bronze in autumn. 'Edward Goucher' has a lacier foliage than A. grandiflora and can be somewhat less hardy. A hybrid between A. x grandiflora and A. shumannii introduced in 1911 by Edward Goucher of the United States Department of Agriculture.

Abelia x grandiflora 'Sherwoodii'

Easily grown in average, medium, well-drained soil in full sun to part shade. Best flowering in full sun. Prefers moist, organically rich soils which drain well. Somewhat evergreen in the South. Blooms on new wood, so prune as needed (e.g., remove stems lost to winter and, if desired, thin to the ground up to 1/3 of old stems) in late winter to early spring.

Thrives in sun, with moderate summer watering. It is most attractive when selectively pruned, rather than sheared. It typically grows on gracefully arching branches to a mature height of 3-4' and width of 5'. Features clusters of white-tinged-pink, bell-shaped flowers (to 5/8" long) which appear over a long and continuous late spring to fall bloom period. Ovate, glossy, dark green leaves (to 1" long) turn purplish-green in autumn. This dwarf shrub is about 1/2 the size of the popular Abelia x grandiflora.

It is effective when mass planted as a low, shrubby ground cover, particularly on slopes or banks where plants also can provide erosion control. May be used as a low informal hedge (plants tend to lose attractive graceful shape if pruned or sheared to a more formal hedge look).