Reviewed By DAN ORI
Dan has over 27 years’ under his belt caring for plants and gardens. Working as a Horticultural Instructor and Consultant, he draws on a diverse range of experience that includes working as a Head Gardener, Tree Surgeon, Garden Centre Trouble Shooter, and writer of academic papers. Dan has a Level 3 Diploma in Horticulture and is currently a candidate for the RHS’s most prestigious award – The Master of Horticulture.
IN THIS GUIDE
- 1) W. ‘Mont-Blanc’
- 2) W. ‘Bristol Snowflake’
- 3) W. florida ‘Pink Princess’
- 4) W. coraeensis ‘Alba’
- 5) W. florida ‘Pink Poppet’
- 6) W. ‘Vanicek’
- 7) W. florida ‘Wine and Roses’
- 8) W. ‘Slingco 1’
- 9) W. ‘Red Prince’
- 10) W. ‘White Lightning’
- 11) W. florida ‘Variegata Nana’
- 12) W. ‘Briant Rubidor’
- 13) W. florida ‘Wings Of Fire’
- 14) W. florida ‘Verweig’
- 15) W. florida ‘Minor Black’
Marvellously floriferous, weigelas are a great plant for dressing up your garden in more tones of red and pink than you’d care to count.
By mid-spring, many weigela varieties are bedecked in a profusion of clusters of small, trumpet or funnel-shaped flowers.
Perfectly positioned at that fine border between being naturally neat and tidy and a little unkempt and free-growing, weigelas are bushes that are perfect for cottage gardens or to liven up borders.
The deciduous shrubs we have listed below offer a wide choice of sizes and colours to choose from.
No matter where you may be located in the UK, you can safely choose any and all of the following fifteen weigela varieties because each selection is hardy to H6 (temperatures down to -20°C).
We have sequenced our choices by colour and tone and have finished off the list with some interesting foliage plays.
1) W. ‘Mont-Blanc’
- COMMON NAME(S): weigela ‘mont-blanc’
- FLOWERS: pink and white
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer
- SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 1-1.5m spread
For pure white funnel-shaped flowers, ‘Mont-Blanc’ is a great choice, as their white petals develop pink flushes as the plant matures.
“This is one of my favourite Weigelas, as the progression of ‘Mont-Blanc’s wedding dress white blooms into a subtle watercolour painted pink flower is magnificent,” says Horticultural Consultant Dan Ori.
“I recommend planting ‘Mont-Blanc’ alongside Salvia ‘Hot Lips’ (red-white flower) and Salix ‘Flamingo’'(green-white-pink leaves) to play off complementary colour combinations.”
The leaves are of a mid to dark shade of green, which enhances the pure white colour of the blooms.
A special attribute is their light, fresh scent.
This variety rises to just over 1m in height with a spread to match.
2) W. ‘Bristol Snowflake’
- COMMON NAME(S): weigela ‘bristol snowflake’
- FLOWERS: white
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer
- SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 1-1.5m spread
A special feature of ‘Bristol Snowflake’ is that its flowers are almost goblet-shaped, meaning they are somewhat differently shaped than the vast majority of other cultivars.
They are white with buttery eyes and rise to just over 1m with a distinctly wider spread, with displays of foliage in a mid-green shade.
This shrub produces blooms from mid-spring that can last well into summer.
3) W. florida ‘Pink Princess’
- COMMON NAME(S): weigela ‘pink princess’
- FLOWERS: pink and purple
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer
- SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 1-1.5m spread
Probably more lavender than pink, ‘Pink Princess’ produces the classic trumpet-shaped blooms that these heirloom plants are known for.
The floral clusters of a delicate lavender-pink tone make a truly beautiful colour combination with the brilliant green shade of the foliage.
This variety blooms from late spring until some time in the summer and is over 1m tall and nearly 1.5m wide.
4) W. coraeensis ‘Alba’
- COMMON NAME(S): weigela ‘alba’
- FLOWERS: cream and pink
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer
- SIZE: 2.5-4m in height, 2.5-4m spread
‘Alba’ is a unique cultivar, as it produces flowers in two colours.
The trumpet-shaped blooms start off creamy white and then gradually mature to a charming rose pink.
This means that midway through the flowering season the bush is a wonderful sight, displaying blooms in multiple shades of cream and pink.
This is a large-sized variety, growing to 3m in height with a similar spread.
5) W. florida ‘Pink Poppet’
- COMMON NAME(S): weigela ‘pink poppet’
- FLOWERS: pink
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer
- SIZE: 0.1-0.5m in height, 0.1-0.5m spread
Perfectly named, ‘Pink Poppet’ grows to a mere 40cm high with a spread that may be a tad wider, making it a top choice for containers.
It has bright green foliage and funnel-shaped shaped flowers that are of a charming baby pink tone with darker centres.
After its first bloom in late spring, it often bursts into bloom again in late summer.
6) W. ‘Vanicek’
- COMMON NAME(S): weigela ‘newport red’
- FLOWERS: purple and red
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer
- SIZE: 1.5-2.5m in height, 1.5-2.5m spread
‘Vanicek’ produces goblet or funnel-shaped flowers on the pink-purple colour cusp, which often appear red when in bloom from late spring into summer.
The deep green foliage is the perfect complementary colour to that of the blooms.
This variety grows to around 2m tall.
7) W. florida ‘Wine and Roses’
- COMMON NAME(S): weigela ‘alexandra’
- FLOWERS: pink and red
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer / autumn
- SIZE: 1.5-2.5m in height, 1.5-2.5m spread
Producing tubular trumpet-shaped flowers, the attractions of ‘Wine and Roses’ start with its foliage.
Of a smoky, bronzy-green hue, the leaves develop yellow and purple tints which deepen in autumn when the flowers are no more.
While the flowers are around during this cultivar’s remarkably long blooming season from late spring to early autumn, they colour the shrub in a popping, almost electric, tone of magenta-pink.
This plant has received the RHS Award of Garden Merit.
8) W. ‘Slingco 1’
- COMMON NAME(S): weigela ‘all summer red’
- FLOWERS: red
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer / autumn
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.5-1m spread
Bearing rich, red, funnel-shaped flowers whose hues are accented by white pistils, ‘All Summer Red’ is another variety to consider if you want a splash of bold colour in your garden.
It more than lives up to its name too, as this gorgeous cultivar blooms from mid-spring clear into autumn.
On the small side at about 75cm tall, its bright green leaves display distinct reddish tinges during spring.
9) W. ‘Red Prince’
- COMMON NAME(S): weigela ‘red prince’
- FLOWERS: pink and red
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer
- SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 1-1.5m spread
Perhaps the most popular variety here in the UK, ‘Red Prince’ has trumpet-shaped flowers of a riveting lipstick-red hue, with its white pistils making a fine counterpoint and setting off the intense red.
This cultivar is 1-1.5m tall and wide and sports pointy ovate leaves of a fresh green shade.
It blooms from the late spring and well into the summer.
This shrub is another recipient of the RHS Award of Garden Merit.
10) W. ‘White Lightning’
- COMMON NAME(S): weigela ‘white lightning’
- FLOWERS: pink
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer
- SIZE: 1.5-2.5m in height, 1.5-2.5m spread
Leaves of a mid-green shade surrounded by thick, irregular, creamy-yellow borders make ‘White Lightning’ the most laid-back of my foliage selections.
The white or pink-flushed goblet-shaped blooms that open from pink buds and bloom over late spring to mid-summer are the icing on the cake.
This cultivar rises to just under 2m tall and has a spread of just over 1m.
11) W. florida ‘Variegata Nana’
- COMMON NAME(S): weigela ‘nana variegata’
- FLOWERS: pink
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer
- SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 1-1.5m spread
‘Nana Variegata’ is a wonderfully floriferous option with foliage interest.
It is compact, growing to just over 1m high with a similar spread.
Its light green leaves emerge with bright yellow edging which lightens to a creamy colour, eventually fading to white.
The little funnel-shaped blooms are of a gentle pastel lavender-pink hue and they too lighten and fade to white, mirroring the foliage.
These flowers are borne from late spring into summer.
12) W. ‘Briant Rubidor’
- COMMON NAME(S): weigela ‘olympiade’
- FLOWERS: red
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer
- SIZE: 1.5-2.5m in height, 1.5-2.5m spread
‘Olympiade’ is a medium-sized variety reaching nearly 2m in both height and spread.
The brilliant ruby red hue of its funnel-shaped flowers is the chief attribute of this cultivar, though it has a further special characteristic – the foliage.
The blooms get underway first in late spring and continue into summer, where the initially bright green foliage turns lime green and then to a greenish-yellow.
Some leaves even show mottled variegation in the autumn.
13) W. florida ‘Wings Of Fire’
- COMMON NAME(S): weigela ‘wings of fire’
- FLOWERS: pink
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer
- SIZE: 1-1.5m in height, 1-1.5m spread
A top pick for foliage colour, ‘Wings of Fire’ starts the autumn exhibition way ahead of time.
By early summer, its mid-green leaves are injected with colour as various tones of yellow and bronzy-red become increasingly prominent.
The leaves turn orange and coppery-red by late summer and go out in autumn in tones of ‘fire’ that are mentioned in the cultivar’s name.
Funnily enough, this intense cultivar bears flowers of a sweet pink colour and is just over 1m high and wide.
14) W. florida ‘Verweig’
- COMMON NAME(S): weigela ‘monet’
- FLOWERS: pink
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): summer / autumn
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.5-1m spread
‘Verweig’ foliage does not undergo spectacular colour changes, but it is aesthetically pleasing the way it is.
To begin with, the leaves have a dark green centre with thick and irregular cream edging.
The edging often has pink flushes or is entirely pink and its blooms are also a bright pink and are borne in late spring into summer.
It forms small little hummocks of a mere 60cm tall and wide.
15) W. florida ‘Minor Black’
- COMMON NAME(S): weigela ‘minor black’
- FLOWERS: pink
- FLOWERING SEASON(S): spring / summer
- SIZE: 0.5-1m in height, 0.5-1m spread
Consisting almost entirely of a dark chocolatey-purple hue, the glossy foliage of ‘Minor Black’ is offset by an abundance of funnel-shaped blooms in an electric purplish-pink tone that appear from late spring.
One way or another, this striking variety is an outlier among weigelas in its colour palette.
It reaches up to 75cm in height and has a spread of about 1m.
