How to Grow Abelia Plant? Propagating an Abelia shrub Plant is very easy. You can buy your first plant from a garden store. Next time prepare your own plant by layering the long branches of a parent Abelia plant. Place the plant in well-drained healthy soil where it can get 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight. Always keep the soil moist and feed the plant with a balanced fertilizer once every month.
Abelia is a group of deciduous semi-evergreen flowering shrubs. These plants are popular for their beautiful foliage and fragrant flowers. They are native to eastern Asia and Mexico. These days Abelia plants are grown worldwide. The shape, size, and color of the plant and its flower vary with different Abelia varieties. Are you Interested?… Keep Reading for details!
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Abelia Plant Info
- Common Name: Abelia. Popularly known as Glossy Abelia, Rose creek abelia, and many more.
- Botanical Name: Abelia -(Species Classification)
- Family: Caprifoliaceae, the Honeysuckle family
- Origin: Native to East Asian countries and Mexico. Popularly grown worldwide these days as ornamental plants.
- Plant Type: Deciduous Shrub. Some varieties of Abelia can behave like semi-evergreens.
- Plant Size: 3 to 10 feet high and 2 to 8 feet wide depending on the variety.
- Hardiness: Hardy in USDA hardiness zone 4 to 11. Although different varieties of abelia are hardy in different zones mostly within 4 to 9.
- Foliage: Glossy oval or ovate leaves with pointed tips. The color of the leaves varies from light green to dark purple-green. Abelia plants with yellow-green variegated leaves are also very popular. The foliage of some variety can change color throughout the growing season. New hybrids have more vivid color options available to choose from.
- Flower: Small trumpet shape fragrant flower. There are five petals in each flower. The flowers of the Abelia plant come in various shades of white, pink, yellow, and blue. They bloom in a group of 5 or8 flowers at the tip of new branches.
- Soil Type: Well-drained nutrition-rich soil with a ph lower than 7.5 is best for these plants. Abelia plants can tolerate acidic to slightly alkaline soil.
- Sunlight: Full 6 to 8 hours of sunlight is good for foliage and flowers growth of Abelia plants. Although it can tolerate light shade especially in hot zones.
- Propagation Type: Abelia can be propagated through seeds directly or from layering and cuttings.
Popular Abelia Plant Varieties
There are dozens of different varieties available in the Abelia family. Some of them are soft and tender while others are hard. Most of them are deciduous with some semi-evergreen variants available. All of these varieties can grow 2 to 10 feet tall spreading across 3 to 8 feet wide.
Some of the popular varieties of Abelia plants are-
- A. floribunda: Beautiful bright red, pink, and purple flowers. The leaves are light green and glossy. These varieties are hardy to southern warm zones. 4 to 6 feet high.
- A. Grandiflora: It is a semi-evergreen variety with dark green glossy leaves. Lots of pinkish-yellow flowers bloom throughout summer till the first frost. Maximum height 6 to 8 feet (2 m approx.). Glossy Abelia is a popular Grandiflora variant.
- A.Chinensis: Fragrant wight to pink flowers bloom the whole year. The plant can grow up to 5feet high.
- A. Shumannii: These are deciduous plants with large reddish flowers. The plants can grow up to 5 feet and spread 3 feet. the branches are semi-hard and can survive mild frost.
- A. triflora: It is a deciduous variety of Abelia. Hardy to cold zones and can bloom from early spring to late summer. The bloom color varies from red to pale pink. Moreover, it is a big plant variety that can grow up to 15 feet high.
- Check out my favorite Abelia plants on Amazon.
There are several other variants of Abelia available worldwide. Some of those are popular while others are not. Therefore I have listed only those that are easily available in most garden stores. Give it try and share your experience with us.
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Choose the best Abelia Variety to grow
The first and most important step of growing any plant is to choose the right variant. Abelia just like any other flowering shrub has many variants. Some are big and strong while others are small and tender. Some have lots of flowers while others may have fewer with more fragrance.
Therefore, the first step is to decide which one you what to grow. You must consider few factors for this selection.
- The size of the mature plant.
- Color of the foliage
- Flower characters
- Basic requirements of the varieties
- Maintainance
Starting with size, if you are planning for container gardening then choose a small dwarf hybrid variety. Big plant varieties of Abelia should only be selected for open gardens and yards.
Look out for the foliage of your choice. There are lots of color and pattern variations found in abelia foliage. You must choose the variety that suits your style and garden decor.
Flowers also matters. Look out for bright-colored flowers if you need something to please the eyes. They will attract lots of butterflies. Hummingbirds and other pollinators. The colors of these flowers can really contrast the glossy foliage.
You must understand the basic requirements of every plant that you plan to grow. Even different varieties of the same species have their specific needs. So make sure to choose the Abelia variant that requires less effort to adapt to your garden conditions.
Abelia themself are low-maintenance plants. Still, you should select only those that require the least maintenance among all others.
Is it Easy to grow Abelia?
Yes, It is really very easy to grow Abelia plants. Abelia is low maintenance easy to grow flowering plants. It will require little to no care once the plant is established in any growing area.
You have to care for the baby plants until they grow big enough to survive on their own.
Where to Grow an Abelia plant?
Abelia plants can grow anywhere in the states with USDA hardiness zone 4 through 11. It must be located in a well-lit warm spot with healthy soil.
The Abelia plants require 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight. Bright direct light is essential for glossy foliage and bright fragrant flowers. Though these flowering plants can survive in light shade especially in zone 9,10 and 11.
In addition to the bright sunlight, it also requires healthy well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Abelia plants are not choosy about the soil. They can adapt to any soil type whether clay or loam or sandy type. Although black soil rich in organic matter is best to grow Abelia plants.
The location must be chosen with the size and requirements of the plant. If the plant grows as big as 15 feet then choose a side spot away from the main garden area. Instead, you can choose smaller plants for sideways and garden borders.
Always take care of proper sunlight.
When to Grow Abelias?
You can grow abelia plants anywhere throughout the year. Although the best time to grow abelia is when the plant is in a dormant stage. Simply wait for flowering to over.
Seeding can be done in late spring to mid-summer. The seeds may take 2 to 3 weeks to germinate and another 4 weeks for the transplant. Overall Seedlings will be ready by the end of summer or if you wait more then start at early spring next season. Abelia seeds are easy to grow but not so easy to find.
Therefore, professional gardeners use cuttings or layering techniques to grow these flowering plants. Cutting or layering can be done in spring and transplant in late summer. The plant will establish throughout winter and will be ready for blooming next spring.
Overall, May to October is the ideal time of the year to grow Abelias. Timing must be adjusted with temperature and moisture levels in your locality.
Also read: 8 Beneficial Garden Animals and Pests
How to Propagate Abelia Plants?
We can propagate Abeliaplants from their seed, cuttings, or layering. You have to look for seeds in local stores as they are not available online.
Seedlings can be found under big Abelia plants. You can check out for new growth in late summer.
Also, the cutting or layering must be done on a healthy parent plant. Most important is that you should have one to take a cutting. If you don’t have an Abelia plant then either ask for someone who already has or simply buy one.
- Simply spread the seed in damp soil and allow it to germinate naturally. It may take a couple of weeks to grow.
- Choose a healthy branch for cutting or layering.
- Simply bend the lower branches to touch the soil and cover the point of contact with some soil. Keep it down for 40 to 60 days. Once it looks fine and growing detach the plant from the parent plant.
- For cutting take a semi-hardwood branch of 4 to 6-inch length. Clean it by removing lower leaves. Dip it in the rooting hormone and place it in a wet soil mix.
- The cutting will take 40 to 50 days to form new roots. It may take another 20 days to be ready for transplant.
Are plants grown from seeds different from cutting?
Yes, most of the times Abelia plants grown in the open garden are cross-pollinated with other variants. They are pollinated by hummingbirds and butterflies and you can’t control them. Therefore, the chance of seedlings differing from their parent plant is very high.
The seedlings may look like its parent but the flower size, color, or fragrance may differ a lot. Therefore you must grow plants with cutting if possible. This way the new plants are perfectly identical to their parents.
If you really want to grow Abelia from seeds then look out for any trusted seed developer who grows their plants in isolation. It is quite difficult to achieve.
How to Grow Abelia Plant?
Start with Soil Preparation:
Dig a hole twice the size of the root ball in the garden. Take out the soil and mix it with an equal amount of compost and sand. The ideal Soil mix for Abelia is 40% garden soil 30% compost and 30% sand. You can also use this soil mix for container gardening.
You should check the soil ph and the drainage of the soil before using. It should be moist but never too soggy. Keep the soil Ph lower than 7.5. If the soil is too acidic i.e. ph lower than 5 then add 2 spoons of wood ash in it. Else if it is alkaline then add extra green matter over the soil for a couple of weeks to adjust the ph level.
Place the baby Abelia in the center of the hole:
Always place the plants in the center of the desired spot in the garden hole. Make sure the hole does not retain water for a long duration. Excess water retention indicates poor drainage which can cause root rot disease.
Fill the Empty space with Soil Mix:
Stabilize the plant with one hand and fill the empty space with the soil mix you prepared. Tap the soil to remove any air pocket and pour some water to settle it down.
Water Abundantly:
Pour enough water to moisten the rootball to its depth for the first time. Repeat watering once every week or as required.
Check the soil in the container for dryness and adjust the watering accordingly. Abelia grown in pots or containers will require frequent watering.
Abelias are tolerant to heat and drought although they bloom better in moist soil conditions.
Fertilization of the soil:
Add organic compost once every month and any balanced fertilizer once in 50 days. Although you can avoid fertilization in the non-flowering season. It is a good habit to feed your plants even if it is not yielding.
Abelias are hardy to their environment and require very little to no care at all. Still, if you want continuous blooming then keep the plant free from pests and disease. Prune the plant to control the shape and size. Also, avoid excessive pruning before flowering.
Best Companions for Abelia plants?
- Spirea
- Maiden Grass
- Weigela
- Phlox
- Iris
- Hibiscus
- Flowering Sages
Final Words
What is your view on how to grow the Abelia plant? Do you have one of these plants in your garden? If not then give it a try and share your experience with our visitors.
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