Horticulture Magazine

Weigela

bright pink weigela flowers
By CHRIS LEE
Chris Lee, MA - Gardening Writer

Chris is a gardening writer and nature enthusiast. He graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2022 with an MA in Psychology. Chris works with the Leeds Green Action Society, helping their food cooperative by growing various fruit and vegetables on their two allotments in Hyde Park, Leeds.

/ Updated September 4th, 2023
Reviewed By COLIN SKELLY

Colin is a Horticulturist and Horticultural Consultant with experience in a range of practical and managerial roles across heritage, commercial and public horticulture. He holds the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture award and has a particular interest in horticultural ecology and naturalistic planting for habitat and climate resilience.

/ Meets Our Editorial Guidelines

Weigela is a range of deciduous plants (typically grown as shrubs) that come in a variety of different colours.

With their multi-coloured leaves and distinctive flowers, they are a great choice to add interest to your garden.

“As well as different colours, Weigelas come in different sizes too, with dwarfing cultivars as well as larger shrubs,” shares Master Horticulturist Colin Skelly.

“Their spreading habit makes them a good screening shrub but they also make attractive specimen shrubs with their beautiful trumpet-like spring flowers.”

Growing weigela in your garden isn’t too difficult – their water requirements are usually met by rainfall and providing you pick a good spot with plenty of sunlight, they should thrive for many years.

Overview

Botanical NameWeigela
Plant TypeShrub
Native AreaJapan, China, Korea
Hardiness RatingH6
FoliageDeciduous, simple ovate leaves
FlowersFunnel-shaped red, pink, yellow or white flowers
When To SowFebruary, March, October, November
Flowering MonthsMay, June, July
When To PruneJuly
Sunlight

Preferred
Partial Shade

Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered

Size

Height
1.5 – 2.5M

Spread
1.5 – 2.5M

Bloom Time
May – July

Soil

Preferred
Most Soil Types

Moisture
Moist but well drained

pH
Any

Weigela originated in Japan, China and Korea but today they’re grown in many different climates around the world.1Weigela. (n.d.). Kew Royal Botanic Gardens. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:6141-1

How To Grow Weigela

Before planting, you should ensure that the soil is in decent condition.

Soil that’s too hard, frozen or waterlogged would not be suitable.

Planting

The roots of weigela that have already been established tend to be quite substantial, so be sure to make a hole in the soil that can accommodate it properly.

You should make the hole at least as deep as the roots and roughly twice as wide.

a freshly planted weigela seedling in a grassy area

Make sure to cover it properly and using a layer of mulch would not be a bad idea, particularly if you’re planting in autumn.

The best time to plant weigela would be either in the spring or autumn.

This is because it prevents the plants from being immediately exposed to strong sunlight, which can be an issue when you’re transplanting already established bushes.

The best spot for weigela would be in either full or partial sunlight.

Although weigela can cope in shaded spots, they won’t flourish in the same way as they would with a good amount of sunlight.

Weigela Care

Growing weigela in your garden isn’t too difficult, but it is important to know the best way to go about it if you want your plants to thrive.

distinctive green variegated leaves and pink flowers of a weigela plant

Below is a full guide to growing weigela in your garden, including the initial planting, watering, picking the right spot and using fertiliser.

Watering

Weigela plants have average watering needs.

This means if there’s a decent downpour during the week, then you usually don’t need to worry about watering them.

You should certainly water them during dry spells, however – make sure to soak the roots well when watering.

Fertilising

Using a good fertiliser that’s suitable for shrubs is certainly a good idea when you first plant your weigela.

Weigela plant growing in the garden

Propagation

There are a couple of reliable ways to go about propagating weigela, both using cuttings.

It is possible to propagate using seed but here we’ll focus on using cuttings.

Early (Softwood) Cuttings

Using cuttings that you take in late summer/early autumn is the first method you can use to propagate weigela.

Before taking any cuttings, it’s a good idea to take any steps you can prior to ensure the plant is in optimal condition.

red and yellow blooms of weigela with fresh leafy growth

A very good way to do this is by watering the plant you’ll be taking the cuttings from a day before you do.

You’ll only need to do this if the soil is dry.  

  1. Make sure that any cuttings you take have a decent amount of foliage with healthy-looking stems.
  2. Cut just below the leaf bud and make sure to remove some of the leaves that are close to the base in order to reduce the water requirements.
  3. Once you’ve taken the cuttings, it’s a good idea to use a rooting hormone powder on the base of the cutting to encourage healthy growth and reduce the risk of rotting.
  4. You should place your cuttings in a 9cm or 1-litre pot and use good quality propagating compost.
  5. It’s important to ensure the cuttings get a decent amount of sunlight but aren’t overexposed.

A greenhouse under a bench or under shade netting would be an ideal location but failing that you can place them in a semi-shaded spot in the house.

You should check on your cuttings at least once a week, being sure to remove any unhealthy-looking foliage as well as watering as needed.

Hardwood Cuttings

The second method for propagating weigela is using hardwood cuttings.

This is where you take fully mature cuttings from the current year’s growth.

You should follow the same steps as mentioned above when making the cuttings.

The advantage to using hardwood cuttings as opposed to early cuttings – is that you’re able to grow them outdoors as well as indoors.

a large pink flowering weigela shrub with a wall of ivy in the background

If you choose to plant them outdoors, then you will need to take a bit of care to encourage the best growth.

You should use a good quality compost and plant the stems so there’s roughly a third of them protruding from the soil.

Growing them in containers, either indoors or in a greenhouse is another option.

This does give you some advantages – namely being able to protect the cuttings from the harsh winter weather.

If you do plant the cuttings in containers, then be sure to also use good quality compost and water them whenever they become dry.

Providing you check on them regularly and provide proper care, they should be ready to plant outdoors by the next autumn.

Common Problems

Below are some of the most common diseases and problems that weigela can suffer from:

Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew is a very common type of fungal disease that affects a wide variety of plants.

It’s so-called because the leaves of infected plants will have a coat of mildew on them that resembles white powder.

powdery mildew shown on the leaves of a plant

To avoid powdery mildew, you should ensure that your plants have plenty of space between them for good circulation.

You should also take care when watering to avoid any water getting on the leaves.

If you have any plants that are affected by powdery mildew, then you should remove infected leaves, or in more severe cases – dig up and destroy infected plants.

Black Spot

Black spot is another type of fungal disease that can affect weigela.

It will cause infected plants to develop black spots on their leaves and will often result in the leaves falling off the plant.

To avoid black spot, you should take care not to get the leaves wet when watering, since this is often how it spreads.

It’s also a good idea to use mulch, which helps to prevent water from splashing up.

Rust

Rust is a fungal disease that will cause orange-coloured spots to appear on the leaves of infected plants.

If you notice any plants that are affected by rust, then you should either remove them or use a good fungicide.

Spider Mites

Spider mites may be small, but they can cause a lot of damage to plants.

plant stem covered in small spider mites

As well as injecting toxins into plants, they also leave visible webbing and quickly multiply.

Thankfully, it’s quite easy to get rid of them – a simple spray of fungicidal soap or water is usually enough to remove them from plants.

Mealybugs

Mealybugs are another pest that can affect weigela.

They are troublesome for a few reasons – firstly, they will drink from the leaves, which can easily result in poor growth.

The honeydew they excrete also attracts ants as well as causing further issues with the honeydew itself growing mould.

Aphids

Aphids feed on the underside of leaves and the residue they leave behind can attract ants.

leaves of a plant being sprayed with fungicide

If aphids become a problem, then you can wash them off with water or a fungicide.

Another effective way to deal with them is by growing plants that attract predators, such as wasps and ladybirds.

FAQs

When Should I Prune Weigela?

The best time to prune weigela would be in the spring, after they’ve finished blooming.

The reason for this is that weigelas flower the following spring on the new growth.

dark red flowers of weigela
Are Weigela Acid-Loving Plants?

Weigela plants do best in soil or compost that’s slightly acidic, with a pH level of around 5.5-6.

Are Weigela Evergreen Or Deciduous?

Weigela are deciduous plants, so they’ll generally look at their best during the late spring and summer.

Are Weigela Deer Resistant?

Yes. Deer usually won’t damage or destroy weigela plants.

References

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