SEPTEMBER 19, 2018 • Volume 11 • Issue 25
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Rediscovering the beauty of abelias
By Betty Montgomery More Content Now
A
belia is a plant I have known since I was a child. I remember the bushes we had because they seemed to often have either butterflies or bees present. It was a good evergreen plant that performed well in the garden, blooming off and on from summer to frost. Except for the occasional pruning, it was considered a low-maintenance plant. Until recently, I rarely gave this plant much thought. This hardy shrub has had some “modernization” in recent years with new varieties being introduced. I remember purchasing “Kaleidoscope” some years
ago and being pleased that it did not grow as tall as the older variety that I knew from childhood. I did not have to do major pruning to keep it at the size I desired. It was also different from the old-timey ones because of the colorful foliage; brightened up a spot in the garden that looked dark and dreary. The leaf’s bright yellow edges against the green centers in the spring changed like a chameleon in the fall, becoming orange and red. Like the older version, the bell-shaped flowers decorate the plant throughout the summer. Then others came along. “Rose Creek” was developed by Michael Dirr, a horticulturist and a professor of horticulture at the University of Georgia. It was selected for its low mounding growth habit, which typically matures to around 3 feet tall and 4 feet wide. Overnight this plant became an excellent choice for foundation planting since it is evergreen in zones 7 to 9 and semi-evergreen in zone 6. The leaves turn an interesting shade of soft purple-green in winter. It too has tubular, fragrant, white flowers that start
blooming in late spring and continue sporadically throughout the summer to until fall. In 2006, “Radiance” was discovered as a sport of “Kaleidoscope.” It stands out from others because of the unique foliage, abundance of flowers and its vigor. During the growing season, it has lovely silvery-green and creamy white variegated foliage that is held up on bright red stems. Then, in late summer, this plant is covered with small, trumpet shaped flowers that can be quite fragrant. It is not a tall grower, topping out around 3 feet. I have never grown this one myself, but have seen it in different locations around our area. “Confetti” is one I have read about but never seen. It is reported to be quite cold hardy, its most important asset since it can be grown in zones 5 and 6 as well as warmer areas. This compact, strong grower sports shades of hot pink, creamy white and green foliage. I recently ran into Dirr and asked him about abelias. Dirr said, “Nursery growers, retailers, and gardeners have numerous superior choices. Variegated foliage is the current rage and bronze, ruby, red, orange, cream, yellow, and green permutations are available. Breeders and selectors have elevated this antiquarian garden species to
modern day respectability and interest.” Dirr has done a great deal of work with abelias in the past and has introduced a number of them to growers over the years. He also has observed the size of them and knows that most stay smaller, but when he was visiting the Keith Arboretum in Chapel Hill, N.C., he saw a 70-year-old abelia that was 18 feet tall. Dirr said, “Without question, plants do not read books when it comes to size.” He realized people wanted different forms of abelia and he certainly went to work developing some with different growth habits. There are many other variations of abelia that have been developed, and there will be more coming into the trade soon. I am hoping to find one that has red color with a bronze cast. Abelias are easy to grow and maintain. If you want to prune them, the best time is to prune in late winter. If you happen to prune in the very early spring, you might still be fine — unless new growth has started to come out. Betty Montgomery is a master gardener and author. She can be reached at bmontgomery40@gmail.com.
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