Weigela belongs to the deciduous shrubs of the Honeysuckle family. The plant is native to China and Japan. Experts count about 15 types of weigel. The name of the plant was in honor of the German scientist Weigel. The deciduous shrub was discovered in the 19th century.
Weigela is an amazing shrub that blooms from May to June, and then from August to September.
If you look at the photo of the weigela, you can see a chic sprawling rose bush.
Weigela will look great on suburban area or in a park area. Inflorescences are first pale in color, then darken.
Planting and care in the open field
Weigela loves sunlight and tolerates light partial shade, you need to take this into account when planting.
The plant is protected from gusts of wind from all sides. It is best to use a three-year-old weigela for planting. Bushes are planted at a distance of 1.5 meters from each other.
Weigela is planted at a depth of 0.5 meters.
Daygela is a very capricious shrub that may not take root in autumn. The shrub loves well-drained fertile soils, does not tolerate stagnant moisture.
Weigela care
When watering, the weigela bush is loosened, sprinkled with sawdust or peat. Complex mineral fertilizer is applied in spring and before flowering. To accelerate growth, nitrogen fertilizers are used, flowering splendor is phosphorus-potassium. Fertilizer should dissolve with good watering.
The plant needs rejuvenating pruning every few years. Young shoots are cut in half in spring.
reproduction
seeds
When weigels are propagated by seeds, their germination lasts about a year. Lovers breed weigela at home in flower pots under glass or film. A one-year-old weigela seedling has a length of 6 cm, a two-year-old 0.5 m. After the appearance of true leaves, the seedlings dive. Weigela needs to be grown in the summer at their summer cottage.
The plant has a fibrous root system and quickly spreads underground. Varieties are best propagated vegetatively. Cuttings are carried out in the first half of summer before flowering.
cuttings
Weigela, propagated by cuttings in summer, blooms after 2 years of age. How is cutting carried out?
For cuttings, slightly lignified young shoots are used. They should consist of one internode and several leaflets.
Summer cuttings
- Step 1. Weigela leaves are removed half or completely.
- Step 2. The cuttings are placed in water for several hours, dipped in root, kept for half a day in a dark room.
- Step 3 Planting cuttings of the plant is carried out in the second half of June. The soil should include sand and peat. The weigela stalk should be in the ground at a depth of about 1 cm. The young stalk is covered and watered several times a day.
Winter cuttings
Cuttings, 20 cm long, are also cut in April before the leaves open.
- Step 1. Peat and sand are poured into the pots in a 1: 1 ratio. planting material treated with root.
- Step 2. After a month, pinching is done, and top dressing is applied.
Winter cuttings are not as effective as summer cuttings.
Weigela and landscape design
Weigela bushes are used both in solitary plantings and in groups. Weigela will look great with gray spirea, Japanese, Van Gutta, willow.
The spreading crown of the shrub will be perfectly combined with the forms of forsythia intermediate, Japanese chaenomeles.
Types of weigela
Weigela Japanese. A beautifully flowering shrub, about a meter high. The leaf plate is pointed at the top, pubescent. Inflorescences are scarlet, three-flowered, similar to bells. The fruit is dry.
Weigela is nice. Inflorescences are collected in funnels of pink-violet color. The size of the weigela shrub is 1.5 m x 1 m. Flowering lasts from mid-May to early July, re-blooms in late summer, early autumn.
Weigela early. The plant is native to China. Shrubs have a height of 2 m and a beautiful ball shape. Flowers are either solitary or collected in 2-3 pieces. Inflorescences are bright pink, and inside are carmine red. Blooms in late spring-early summer.
Weigela blooming. Shrub with a diameter of 3.5 m, a height of about 3 m. Inflorescences are pale pink inside, raspberry outside.
"Purpurea". Shrub 1.5 m tall, leaves red with a brown tint. Blooms in summer. It needs to be covered for the winter.
"Alba". Shrub 3 m high, sprawling with white inflorescences. Requires shelter for the winter.
"Variegata". Plant height 2.5 m, graceful bright pink flowers are collected in inflorescences
Weigela hybrids
Weigela hybrid represents several crossed varieties, which are distinguished by color scheme and leaf shape. V landscape design hybrids are used, as they are the most decorative.
Varieties weigel
Bristol Ruby. Sufficiently tall bushes about 3 m. Dark pink inflorescences, dark green leaves, collected in bunches.
"Eva Rathke". The hybrid comes from Poland. The bush is 2 × 3 m in size. The inflorescences are red.
"Weigela Rosea". Shrubs with large pink flowers 1.5 m high. This weigela is decorative in autumn too - the leaves turn scarlet.
Weigela photo
The weigela plant (lat. Weigela) was named after Christian Ehrenfried von Weigel, a German botanist, chemist, and pharmacologist. In the natural environment, the plant can be found in the southeast, east of Asia, the Far East, the island of Java.
Weigela is a deciduous shrub with erect stems belonging to the Honeysuckle family. The genus consists of 15 species, 7 of which, together with 10 varieties, are cultivated. The oval-shaped petiolate leaves have serrated edges, are opposite, colored green, and may have a beige border.
Bell-shaped or funnel-shaped flowers reach a length of 5 cm, are located singly or are collected in loose inflorescences. The color of the corolla as it blooms from a dull shade turns into a more saturated one, it can be yellow, cream, pink, burgundy red and other colors. Flowering occurs twice a year: mid-May-mid-June, late August-late September, the second bloom is less lush.
Weigela loves moisture, shade-tolerant, easy to care for and reproduce.
When and how to plant weigela
Note that the article considers the conditions middle lane, including the Moscow region. In order for the plant to take root well, it is best to plant in the spring, when the soil has not warmed up much yet, and the buds have not begun to swell. Planting in the fall most often leads to death - the plant does not have time to get stronger before the onset of cold weather.
The ideal place would be the south side on a slight elevation, since warmth and bright lighting contribute to the abundance of flowering. When planting in another place, protection from strong gusts of wind and drafts is necessary, due to which the buds may fall off.
The soil needs loose, fertile: loamy, sandy loam with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. Weigela middendorffiana species also grows well on slightly acidic peat soils.
A planting hole should be dug about 30-40 cm deep. If the soil is poor, deepen another 10 cm to lay a fertile layer (1.5 buckets of compost) with fertilizers (100 g of nitrophoska). At the bottom, lay a drainage layer about 15 cm thick, consisting of coarse sand, then, if necessary, lay a nutrient layer (compost with fertilizer).
For the best, treat the roots of seedlings with a growth accelerator. For tall species (up to 2.5 m tall), it is necessary to keep a distance of 1.5-2 m between plantings; for undersized species (up to 1 m tall), place them at a distance of 80 cm from each other. Straighten the roots, place the seedling in the planting hole, fill the soil gradually, tamp each layer. Water thoroughly after planting. The root neck should be flush with the soil surface or a maximum of a couple of centimeters deeper. Mulch the trunk circle.
How to care for weigela in the garden
Watering and loosening
Moderate required. Mulch around the trunk will help keep the soil moist. In dry weather, water more abundantly. In the spring, if the shoots are very frozen, it is necessary to add 8-10 liters of water under each bush.
In order not to damage the root system of the plant, gently loosen the soil, deepening by 5-8 cm, remove weeds.
top dressing
If during planting you made nitrophoska and compost, the next top dressing should be carried out in the 3rd year of life. To stimulate growth in early spring, apply a complex of mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. When weigela begins to form buds (end of May-beginning of June), add superphosphate and potassium sulfate- flowering will be more magnificent, the stems will become stronger. Under autumn digging add wood ash (for each square meter 200 g of ash) or Kemira autumn fertilizer.
Young bushes need sanitary pruning: in early spring, remove frozen, broken, weak branches, thin out the bush a little.
pruning
Formative spend for adult plants: after flowering, shorten the young shoots by half the length.
Every 3-4 years, rejuvenate the weigela: remove all branches that are more than 3 years old, shorten the rest by 1/3. You can cut off all the shoots completely - the plant will recover perfectly.
Pests and diseases
Caterpillars, aphids, thrips, spider mites - possible pests plants. First of all, treat with natural preparations that are gentle on the environment. Spray with an infusion of hot pepper, wormwood or garlic. In extreme cases, resort to treatment with insecticides purchased at a flower shop.
After planting, seedlings may wither, turn yellow. Most likely, the roots are eaten by bears or larvae of the cockchafer. The soil must be spilled with a solution of aktara or karbofos.
Weigela can be affected by diseases such as gray rot, rust, spotting. Treat the plant with Bordeaux mixture. For prevention, with the beginning of the appearance of leaves, treat with Topsin solution at a concentration of 3%.
Growing weigela from seeds
The plant is propagated by seeds and vegetatively.
Weigels retain good germination for about 1 year. Stronger, more viable plants grow from seeds, but varietal characteristics are lost, therefore seed propagation suitable for receiving a large number species seedlings. There is no need to grow seedlings. You can sow before winter (November) or spring (end of April).
Winged seeds sow superficially, sprinkle with sand. For the winter, it is necessary to prepare a shelter, which should be removed in the spring. Seedlings appear after 3 weeks.
Weigela propagation by cuttings and layering
In early spring root cuttings from lignified last year's shoots. In the period from the end of May to the beginning of June, root cuttings from slightly lignified young shoots of the current year.
The length should be 10-15 cm. Remove the lower leaves, shorten the upper ones by 1/2 of the length, treat the lower cut with a growth stimulator. Plant the cuttings in a wet sand-peat mixture, deepening by 1 cm, cover from above glass jar or plastic cap. Air daily, spray regularly. To stimulate bushiness, young shoots must be pinched.
In autumn, it can be propagated by layering. The lowest shoot must be bent to the ground, at the place of contact with the soil, make an incision in the bark, sprinkle with earth. In the spring, separate the seedling from the mother plant and transplant.
How to collect seeds
Seed boxes open on their own, so it is advisable to wrap several pieces with gauze so that their contents do not spill out onto the ground. Do this from mid-October, and in November, cut off the boxes along with gauze, gently shake the seeds onto a newspaper and dry them in a warm room with good ventilation. Place the seeds in paper bag ik and store in a dry, warm place.
Weigela shelter for the winter
Many do not know how weigela for the winter. Meanwhile, a good shelter allows you to save the bushes not only in the conditions of the Moscow region, but also in the Leningrad region.
- After the leaves fall, sprinkle the near-stem circle with soil, forming a mound 15-20 cm high.
- Bend the branches to the ground, fix with staples, cover with roofing material.
- You can also pull the branches with twine or rope, mulch the near-stem circle with dry leaves, build a frame, wrap the structure with non-woven material.
Popular types and varieties of weigela
Weigela early or weigela pleasant Weigela praecox
A bush of spherical shape, reaching a height of 2 m. The leaves are pubescent. Flowers of a bright pink color with a yellowish-white throat are collected on lateral shoots in 2-3 pieces. Variegated weigela is a variegated variety - yellow spots, which become creamy in summer, cover green leafy plates.
Weigela florida Weigela florida or blooming weigela
The pubescent shoots reach a length of 3 m. The leaves are serrated, petiolate, there is pubescence along the central vein on the surface of the leaf plate, the veins on the underside are completely pubescent. Inflorescences are painted in bright pink color.
Popular Shapes:
- Weigela purple (Weigela Purpurea) or weigela red - limited to a height of 1.5 m. The leaves are red-brown. The color of the corollas is pink with a yellow throat.
- Alba is a dwarf shrub with white flowers.
- Weigela florida Variegata - has small leaves and bright pink flowers. The most frost-resistant form.
- Weigela pink (Weigela florida Bunge) - the outer part of the corolla is painted in a pink-burgundy shade, inside it is pale pink, almost white.
- Weigela Victoria (Weigela florida Victoria) - bush 1 m high, red-brown leaves, crimson corollas.
Weigela hybrid Weigela hybrida
Spreading shrub 1.5 m high. Flowers are singly or collected in loose inflorescences of 2-3 pieces. The color can be pink, white, purple, lilac, purple-red.
- Bristol Ruby - a bush 2.5-3 m high. The leaf plates are bright green. Pink flowers have a red-ruby throat.
- Red Prince (Red Prince) - sprawling bush with drooping shoots, height is 1.5 m. Flowers are red.
- Eva Rathke - compact bush reaches a height of 1.5 m. Reddish-pink corollas have a lighter inner surface.
- Rosea (Rosea) - the shoots bend, reach a height of 1.5 m. The flowers are large, painted pink with white specks.
- Styriaca (Styriaca) - abundant flowering. Corollas 2.5-3 cm long have a pinkish color, by the end of flowering they become red-brown
Weigela Middendorffiana Weigela middendorffiana
A bush with ascending shoots 1-1.5 m high. Corollas 3-4 cm in diameter are painted yellowish, the pharynx is covered with orange spots.
Weigela Korean Weigela coraeensis
The bush reaches a height of 1.5 m. The shoots are bare. Leaves 12 cm long, broadly elliptical, glossy above, covered with sparse fluff below. As it blooms, the corollas turn from pale pink to maroon.
Weigela Maksimovich Weigela maximowiczii
The height of the bush is 1.5 m. The leaves are obovate. Large flowers of pale yellow color are arranged in 1-2 pieces.
Weigela floriferous Weigela floribunda
Reaches a height of 3 m. Petiolate leaves 10 cm long are rarely pubescent on the surface, the pubescence runs along the veins from the bottom of the leaf plate. At the first flowering, the flowers are dark red, and later - pinkish.
Weigela Japanese Weigela japonica
Grows up to 1 m in height. Elliptical leaves are slightly hairy. Dark pink flowers are collected in 3 pieces.
Weigela garden Weigela hortensis
Height is 1 m. Flowering is plentiful. Pinkish-burgundy flowers are collected in dense inflorescences.
Weigela - shrub plant, with fibrous root system, strongly branching. Its stems are quite fragile due to weak lignification, so you need to be careful with weigela. Weigela stems are usually densely leafy, the leaves are petiolate, oblong, slightly pointed at the end, with smooth edges. The color of the leaves is green, but there are also varieties with two-tone, green-white, as in the photo, and even with an unusual, purple color. The latter also look very impressive - pay attention to the photo.
Weigela hybrid -Weigela hybrida
Family: Honeysuckle.
Stem: straight.
Leaves: petiolate, simple.
Flower: bell-shaped, tubular.
Fruit: box.
Origin: East Asia.
Location: a bright place, protected from the northern winds; light fertile soil.
Varieties: About 180 varieties are known.
Meet the eastern guest - the Weigela shrub plant (pictured). Came to us from East Asia and won the hearts of amateur gardeners with its richness of foliage and color, bright colors. Weigela hybrid is the common name for several hybrid forms obtained by crossing flowering weigela, abundantly flowering weigela, Korean weigela and garden weigela. This includes about 180 varieties, which also differ in size - from dwarf forms with a height of 20 to 60 cm, to huge bush plants up to 3 m in height with a crown diameter of up to 3.5 m. Weigela got its name thanks to the researcher - Baron von Weigel who first described this plant. It differs not only in the density of foliage, but also in abundant flowering.
- Flowers solitary or collected in loose inflorescences, formed in the leaf axils.
- The shape of the flowers can be bell-shaped or tubular.
- The color of the flowers is pink, pink-purple, white, yellow, there are also two-color varieties or with a border along the edge of the petal.
Weigela hybrid blooms twice.
- The first time - at the end of May-June. After that, the plant is pruned, dried flowers are plucked.
- The second time weigela blooms in August-September, although now the flowering will not be so plentiful, and the flowers themselves are slightly smaller in size.
Varieties of weigela hybrid
Weigela hybrid has many varieties that differ both in the size of the bush and in the color of the leaves and flowers.
Let's look at some of them.
- Bristol Ruby -
one of the most popular varieties in our country, which is primarily due to its quality as good frost resistance (pictured).
- Among other advantages - the ability to bloom not only in the sun, this variety will feel good in light partial shade.
- The flowers are ruby red, from which, in fact, the variety got its name, the buds are slightly lighter than the opened flowers.
This variety is well suited for you to create a low hedge on the site. You can admire the variety in the photo above.
- "Eva Rathke" -
also quite a popular variety.
- The shrub is compact, up to 1 m high. With age, the crown grows.
- Created as a hybrid of profusely flowering weigela and Korean weigela.
- The flowers are carmine-red, shiny, have a light pleasant aroma.
- This variety is characterized by medium winter hardiness, needs light shelter for the winter to avoid freezing the bush.
- As for the location, it would be better to plant it in a sunny place where there is no stagnation of cold air masses.
With good care, the lifespan can reach up to 50 years. A variety that is sufficiently resistant to damage by diseases and pests. You can see the variety in the photo.
- "Rosea" -
a hybrid of flowering weigela and Korean weigela.
- The shrub is quite large - it reaches up to 2 m in height, the crown in diameter is up to 2.5 m.
- As you might guess from the name, the flowers are pink, they can be pink-white, large.
- This variety has medium frost hardiness and needs light cover.
- When choosing a location for planting, pay attention to fertile soils with an acidity of 6-6.5 pH; a bright spot would be preferable, although light partial shade is also possible.
You can see what this variety looks like in the photo below.
Weigela hybrid "Eva Rathke"
- "Red Prince" -
bright spectacular shrub, as you can see by looking at the photo.
- This variety in 2002 received an award from the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain.
- Its distinctive feature is the saturation of color, the increased density of flowers and the density of the branches of the bush.
- It is a slow growing shrub that blooms twice a year.
- The flowers are bright red.
- Likes bright, sunny places; moisture-loving, but make sure that there is no stagnation of water.
- The variety is characterized by good frost resistance.
Suitable for forming low hedges, decorating borders. Can be affected by aphids.
- "Candida"
rather large shrub, up to 2.5 m high and with a wide spreading crown.
- It differs in snow-white flowers (pictured), which, unlike many other varieties of hybrid weigela, do not change their shade during the flowering period.
- This variety is quite moisture-loving, but does not tolerate stagnant water, it will respond favorably to planting in a sunny place on fertile soil.
- Medium frost resistance, shelter required.
It is used in the design of gardens and parks as a single plant, and as a hedge.
Care and reproduction
Weigela hybrid is a light and heat-loving plant, it will be grateful and will delight with its flowering if you find a place for it in the garden, which will be protected from cold northern winds and drafts.
This shrub loves light fertile soil.
Watering. As for watering, weigela equally dislikes both lack and excess moisture. Therefore, make sure that the ground around the bush is moist, but the water should not stagnate.
Abundant watering is needed in two cases.
- The first is the period of spring awakening of the plant, especially when the winter was not snowy. Then it is advisable to pour 6-10 liters of water under each bush.
- The second is in the case of a dry summer, when hot, dry weather persists.
Fertilizing with mineral fertilizer is best done in early spring.
Pruning. One of the mandatory rules for caring for a hybrid weigela is pruning.
- It is carried out immediately after the first flowering, cutting branches with faded flowers, as well as all old branches.
Also, pruning is necessary for both young and 3-5 year old plants to form a crown.
Winter hardiness. Weigela hybrid has poor winter hardiness, so it needs to be prepared.
For the winter, the ground around the bushes is covered with spruce branches. You can also cover the bushes.
But at the same time, it should be remembered that the branches of the weigela are very delicate, and so that they do not break under the weight of the spruce branches covering it, and even in addition to the fallen snow, they are tied and propped up with a support, or a frame.
In the spring, the bush is carefully inspected and the damaged branches are cut off. Don't worry if the bush is slightly frozen. If you make a sanitary pruning, then everything will be fine with him, he will bloom on time, perhaps not so abundantly.
reproduction
Weigela hybrid is propagated either by seeds or cuttings. It is also possible to simply divide the bush. Let's consider each of these methods.
- Reproduction by seeds
Seeds are used immediately after harvest, as the next year they lose their germination capacity.
- Sowing is carried out in the spring, cover the dishes (pots, boxes) with a film.
- When the second pair of leaves appears, the plants need to dive.
- In summer, boxes with young plants are taken out into the garden under a tree with a not very dense crown.
Such a weigela blooms only for 4 years of life.
Remember that you will not always get the same variety as a result of seed propagation.
And if you're doing breeding work, and you are interested in the purity of the variety, then use the following method for reproduction.
- Propagation by cuttings
There are two types of weigela cuttings for propagation - green and winter. What does it mean?
Green, not yet woody, cuttings are cut sharp knife straight (NOT at an angle, as usual) - based on the characteristics of the leaf system.
- For cuttings, branches with two lower leaves are selected, which are then cut off either completely or in half, with one internode.
- Cuttings are planted in June, covered with a film or plastic bottle, often watered. With this method, the survival rate of cuttings is 80-100%.
The survival rate of winter cuttings is much lower. However, if you want to experiment, you can try growing weigela in this way.
- For winter cutting taken from part of the branch, cutting it off under the bud before it blossoms.
- The stalk is placed in a pot with a mixture of sand and soddy soil, after rooting, they are fed with mineral fertilizer.
You can also simply purchase hybrid weigela seedlings at the flower market. In this case, follow the simple rules for planting this plant.
Landing. At the place chosen for planting, prepare a hole measuring 50x50 cm, place drainage at the bottom of it, since weigela does not like an excess of moisture.
- This shrub should be planted so that the root neck is covered with earth.
- From above, the bush circle is mulched with sawdust or peat.
- If you plant several weigela bushes, remember that this plant has a spreading crown, so it is advisable to plant individual bushes at some distance, 3-3.5 m will be optimal.
plant weigela better in spring, the survival rate of autumn seedlings is very low. But if you bought a seedling in the fall, then plant it in an inclined position, so as to cover most of the crown with earth.
Using hybrid weigela in landscape design: practical recommendations
Growing a hybrid weigela can decorate your garden, because it is a very attractive shrub - like its own bright colors, and the density of leaves on the branches.
First, consider for what purpose you will grow weigela. With a decorative leafy purpose (look at the photo how spectacular weigela looks and without flowers - between two flowering periods), varieties that bloom less profusely will suit you.
- We also advise you to pay attention to varieties with low frost resistance. If the plant freezes in winter, then after sanitary pruning in the spring the bush will feel great, but the flowering will be less plentiful, and the flowers themselves will turn out to be smaller and paler in color.
- Also use another "cunning" trick: weigels love sunny places, but a lot of varieties tolerate light partial shade. If you shade the plant a little more, then it simply will not bloom so abundantly and brightly, which is exactly what we need.
If you want to use weigela for flowering purposes, then pay special attention to creating optimal conditions for this plant.
Choose winter-hardy plants, carefully cover the bushes for the winter, carry out anti-aging pruning between flowering periods.
Since weigels consider East Asia - Japan, Korea, China to be the homeland, it would be quite appropriate to use this plant in gardens in Japanese or any oriental style.
- Weigels also take root well on rocky soil, so small bushes are used in the design of rocky gardens, or rock gardens.
- If you want to arrange a mixborder, then in this case you can also safely use weigela, only more decorative leafy varieties will look more effective.
- Low-growing shrubs can be used to decorate paths and borders in gardens, and from large tall shrubs you can safely form a hedge - it will turn out very beautifully and effectively - as in this photo.
You can also use weigela to create various garden compositions, combining bushes with a variety of garden furniture(benches, lanterns) or elements of garden decor.
The combination of a tall tree with a wide spreading crown and a weigela shrub and its base looks quite impressive.
Please note that the crown must be exactly sprawling and let in a sufficient amount of light, otherwise the weigela simply will not take root in such a neighborhood or it will not look the way you would like it to.
Weigela is a deciduous shrub of the honeysuckle family. Wild varieties live in eastern and South-East Asia, in the Far East and the island of Java. Decorative weigela is very popular in Europe, where it often decorates home gardens, parks and gardens. In our climatic conditions gardeners can rightfully be proud of the presence of weigela on their site, as they grow and preserve flowering plant succeeds not for everyone.
Features of growing weigela
To grow this shrub, it is not enough to choose the right variety, it is important to take into account the peculiarities of the microclimate and provide the weigel with proper care. Decorative weigela is moisture-loving and loves well-lit spaces, although it takes root well in the shade from sparse tree crowns. True, flowering in the shade will be weak, and the seeds will ripen late. The flower does not tolerate wind, especially the north, for cultivation, you need to choose protected places.
V garden design weigels are planted in hedges, curtains or singly, undersized species look great on Alpine rollercoaster. Weigels can be combined into groups, mixed with other shrubs (barberry, spirea, bulldenezh) or with junipers.
At proper care flowering weigela can occur twice a year - in May-June and in August-September. The second flowering is not very lush, but at the end of May the branches are completely covered with white, yellow, pink or red bell flowers. The color of the petals of this flower changes: young inflorescences gradually acquire a rich color.
Landing
Weigela is planted in the ground in spring. The earth should warm up, but the kidneys do not swell at this time. After autumn planting, shrubs often die in the first winter. Find an elevated, well-lit area on the south side of the house. Please note that in a draft, the shrub is unlikely to bloom or crumble even at the bud stage.
Weigels love loose and rich soil with humus - loamy or sandy with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. Of all the species of shrubs, only Middendorf weigela grows on peaty soil. Seedlings older than three years are suitable for planting.
Weigela planting methods
Weigela needs loose and permeable soil. Excessive moisture is contraindicated for shrubs; do not plant bushes in areas where water stagnates for a long time after floods or ground water fit too high. Produce acidic soil before planting a bush (in autumn).
Advice. Many seedlings at autumn planting do not take root, so postpone the procedure until early spring, digging the seedlings at an angle and covering most of the crown with soil.
When preparing a pit for planting, the quality of the land is taken into account. In rich soil, a depression of 30-40 cm is enough; if the soil is poor, the depth should be increased. Create improved conditions for the plant by laying on the bottom:
- drainage (15 cm broken brick, sand or gravel),
- a layer of fertile soil fertilized with nitrophoska (100 g per 1.5 buckets of compost).
The bush will take root easier if the roots are treated with a root formation stimulator.
For large varieties weigels need free space so that they can develop normally. When planting several bushes, place them at a distance of at least one and a half meters. For medium-sized varieties, a gap of 70-80 centimeters will be quite sufficient.
Gently straighten the roots of the seedling and make sure that voids do not form when you fill the soil.
Attention! Do not deepen the root collar more than 2 centimeters so that after the soil settles, it is flush with the surface.
When the seedlings are placed in the ground, water thoroughly and mulch the area. Abundantly water the seedlings should be another 3-4 days. If the summer is dry, water the young bushes regularly, watering may be more moderate next year.
Weigela is easy to care for: moderate watering, weed removal, soil loosening, top dressing and pruning. This plant needs no more attention than many other flowering shrubs.
In a mulched area, frequent watering is not required. After a snowy winter, especially with frozen shoots, in the spring the bushes are watered abundantly - 10 liters of water for each plant. The same irrigation regime is observed in a dry hot summer - a bucket of water every week. To provide air access to the root system and remove weeds, gently loosen the soil around the bush without damaging the roots.
Important! If the bush is in a dry area, aphids can settle on it, affecting leaves and young branches. Keep an eye on the plant and wash it regularly with a strong jet of water.
Top dressing and fertilizer
If, when planting bushes, you introduced nitrophoska and compost into the soil, fertilizer can be omitted for the next two years. In the third year, you should start stimulating the growth of leaves and shoots. To do this, in the spring, when the snow has not yet completely melted, it is advisable to apply fertilizer under the bushes:
- urea - 20 g / sq.m;
- superphosphate - 10 g / sq.m;
- potassium salt - 10 g / sq.m.
You can fertilize with ammofoska, diammofoska, "Kemira-Lux" or other top dressing with phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen.
The second top dressing will be useful when making buds in late spring. Superphosphate is suitable (30 g for each bush). After this, the weigela will bloom luxuriantly, and the branches will strengthen for the winter.
Before autumn digging, carry out the third feeding with wood ash (200 g per square meter). "Kemira - Autumn" works well, the dosage is indicated in the instructions.
Attention! After each top dressing, water the bush abundantly and spray with soapy water and alcohol.
Pruning weigela
Weigela, like all shrubs, needs regular shearing. Sanitary pruning is carried out on young bushes. In early spring, cut off frozen, broken and extra branches.
For mature plants, pruning is required to form a bush. When the first flowering is over, trim the plant carefully. This should be done before the appearance of new shoots, on which flowers bloom at the end of summer. If you were unable to cut the bush in time, skip the summer haircut, otherwise there will be no second flowering.
The third pruning is carried out once every three or four years to rejuvenate the bush. Remove all old branches (3 years or more), and shorten by a third. A stimulating haircut promotes the appearance of young shoots and becomes a prevention of diseases that could settle in the bark of old branches. You can arrange a radical shake-up of the weigel by cutting off all the shoots - after that the bush will quickly recover.
Advice. Between spring and autumn flowering, lighten adult bushes by cutting off old shoots at the base.
Weigela transplant
Do not take literally the recommendations to transplant plants, especially garden plants, in the spring. We are talking about a transplant only when absolutely necessary: with an unsuccessfully chosen place, unsuitable soil, shading, etc. If repotting is needed, it should be done in the spring, but don't repot the plants every year.
Dig up the weigela very carefully, try to preserve the roots as much as possible. Clean and inspect the root system, check for signs of disease, decay, raids and other pathological changes. If you see that the roots are very damaged, it makes no sense to replant the bush, it is better to grow a new plant from a cutting.
Advice. If you dug up a plant and find that its roots are entwined into a ball, try to untangle them without damaging them..
Do not transplant the bush in the fall, as the probability of survival in this case is too small - the roots will not be able to take root and will die.
The shrub can be propagated by seeds, cuttings and layering.
Reproduction by seeds
Seeds ripen in September, by November the boxes crack and you can start collecting. seed material. Wrap several seed pods with cheesecloth and cut off when the seeds are fully ripe. Shake out the contents on paper and dry. Remove the dried seeds in a paper bag and set aside until spring in a dark, dry place. Seeds remain viable for 1-2 years, but weigels grown from seeds almost never retain the varietal characteristics of their parent.
At home, you can sow seeds in a pot and create greenhouse conditions for them. In the spring, shoots will break through, leave the strongest until next year. Then the seedlings can be transplanted into a school or planted for two years under an adult bush. The process, as you can see, is complex and long, and the result is unpredictable. We recommend propagating weigela vegetatively.
Vegetative reproduction
It is much easier to propagate weigela with young green shoots, semi-lignified cuttings, stump growth and layering.
green cuttings
Cut off the young shoots of the current year, cut the leaves completely or leave half of the leaf plate. Treat one edge of the cutting with a root stimulator.
planted green cutting at the end of June. Prepare the soil from peat with sand, the top layer is sand (3 cm). It is enough to deepen the cutting by 1 cm and cover it with a cut plastic bottle or film. Every day, let the cutting breathe, lifting the cover for several hours. The probability of rooting a green cutting is very high, there are almost no failures.
Weigela grown in this way begins to bloom in two years. In order for the plant to develop more actively, it is recommended to cut off the buds.
last year's cuttings
In early spring, cut off a semi-lignified cutting. This must be done before the leaves begin to bloom. Treat the end with a root stimulator. You can plant a cutting in a pot or in open ground. In the second case, choose a slightly shaded place. Cover the stalk with a jar and ventilate it daily. Growing a weigela from a semi-lignified cutting is somewhat more difficult than from a green shoot. If a new shoot appears in a month, then rooting has occurred and the cutting can be pinched.
Young growth from a stump
With this method of reproduction, rooting occurs in the same way as in the cases described above.
layering
This shrub, like many others, often grows branches inclined to the ground. Bend down such an escape and scratch the bark at the place of its contact with the soil. Lubricate with a root stimulator, pin and sprinkle with earth. Next year you will receive a full-fledged seedling. Disconnect the layer from the bush and place it in the place intended for it.
The division of the bush
Herbaceous plants are usually propagated in this way, but shrubs can also be divided if they have grown too large, or when transplanting.
Dig up a bush during the dormant period and wash off the ground. Divide the plant into parts, young roots along the edges of the bush are suitable for reproduction. Before planting, cut off all branches so that the root system can develop without unnecessary stress. Plants after division are immediately planted in the ground.
Weigela flowering
Many varieties of this shrub are good not only for bright tubular bell flowers, but also for leaves. Weigela foliage is velvet, green or purple, with a white border. But the main advantage of this species is still an abundant two-time flowering. The first time weigels bloom on last year's shoots, and the second flowering takes place on young twigs. Autumn flowering is not as active as spring, but still the bush strewn with fluffy flowers looks extremely impressive. Flowers in pockets of leaves are collected in inflorescences at the tops of the shoots. The size of each flower can reach five centimeters.
Problems, diseases, pests
Weigela rarely gets sick and is resistant to pests, but with signs of damage, urgent measures must be taken. The disease is evidenced by the active fall of foliage, the appearance white plaque, spots of yellow or purple color.
Common shrub pests are aphids and mealybugs. A timely detected problem is easily eliminated after two treatments of the crown with any insecticide. Infusions of hot pepper, garlic or potato tops are also effective. Spotting on the leaves is treated with fungicides, a mixture of lime milk and blue vitriol or Topsin.
If the seedlings turn yellow and wither, it is possible that their roots are damaged by the larvae of the bear or the cockchafer brought in with compost. Water the soil with karbofos or aktara.
It is much more difficult to overcome bacterial root canker, in which rounded swellings appear on the roots that harden over time. Unfortunately, we have not yet learned how to deal with this disease and it is better to remove the bush until neighboring plants have become infected.
Popular types
The shrub reaches one and a half meters. This species has burgundy leaves and red-pink flowers. This species feels good in the middle lane. Shoots quickly recover after freezing.
dwarf shrub with variegated leaves and clusters of white-pink or crimson flowers. Growth is slow, suitable for rocky gardens.
The leaves of this species of weigela are distinguished by a white border on the edges of the leaves. Reaches one and a half meters in height.
Purple variety with a dense crown. Reddish-brown leaves and rich yellow-throated flowers make this species especially popular.
Or Weigela Middendorf - the most winter-hardy species, suitable for growing in open spaces and under trees.
Weigel group obtained as a result of hybridization. Most adapted to the climate of the southern territories. The color of the leaves and inflorescences is varied. Weigela flowers in wild nature odorless, but hybridization made it possible to endow the inflorescences with a delicate aroma.
- In winter, weigela bushes freeze above the level of the snow cover, so choose a place on the site where the snowdrifts are high.
- After snowfalls and in spring, when the snow becomes heavy, shake off the weigela branches so that they do not break off.
It is useful to process the shrub with infusions:
- onion peel (200 g insist 5 days in 10 liters of water);
- garlic (300 g of chopped unpeeled garlic stand for a day in 10 liters of water);
- potato tops (1 kg pour 10 l hot water and leave for 2 hours).
Spraying of plants is carried out in the evening.
Answers on questions
How long does a shrub live?
If you were able to create favorable conditions and organize good care, shrub can live up to 50 years.
Why doesn't weigela bloom?
The plant may not bloom in the shade, due to lack of light, the shoots become stiff, and flowering becomes very scarce or completely absent. Another reason is insufficient watering and lack of top dressing. If these obstacles are excluded, pay attention to the root system, it may be damaged by pests.
What should be the care of the bush in winter?
After leaf fall, in October-November, the near-trunk area must be sprinkled with soil to a height of 20 cm. Bend the branches to the ground and press, trying not to damage. Cover the bush with roofing material (spunbond) and strengthen the “roof” so that the wind does not tear it off in winter. You can not bend the branches, but pull them together with twine, enclose the bush with a net. Inside this structure, pour dry leaves and spruce branches. Insulate the building well. If weigela is left unprotected, the shoots will die in frost and flowering will not occur.
Weigela, it is impossible to forget this beauty. Unusual inflorescences, reminiscent of bells, only huge, its compactness makes it exquisite and in demand.
Description and features of weigela
Weigela shrub very popular among flower growers because of the decorative crown. If you choose the right place, the plant will delight in flowering long time. Moreover, such a miracle in some varieties can be seen twice in a season.
In the photo weigela is red
The first flowering can be seen in spring, the second - in autumn. Height perennial bush can vary from 0.6 to 3 meters. It all depends on varieties wagers and kind.
The buds are tubular-bell-shaped in various colors. It can be pink, scarlet, lilac, yellow shades. The leaves are emerald green, oval in shape and elongated with sharp tips. Slightly curved on the outside.
Planting and breeding weigela
Weigela will bestow lush flowering if you choose a consecrated area, but without the northern winds. The soil is preferably fertile, loose.
Blooming delicate pink weigela
At planting weigela, choose a step up to 2 meters, and leave the basal neck on the top of the ground. Grow weigela in open ground can be vegetatively and seeds.
Weigela propagation by cuttings:
1. Cuttings can be used green and lignified. But with the second option, flowering should be expected up to 5 years.
2. Planting material is being prepared spring, weigela at this point should not lay the kidneys.
3. Green shoots are cut off from the crown with a straight cut, 15 cm long.
4. Remove all but two leaves from the cutting.
5. Treat the cut with a growth stimulator and leave the branch for 12 hours in a dark and warm (20 degrees C) place.
6. Mix peat and sand in equal parts.
7. Deepen the cuttings half a centimeter into the substrate and cover the containers with a jar. To create a favorable microclimate.
8. Periodically ventilate and water the cuttings.
9. After a month and a half, rooting will come.
10. It should be grown for 1.5 years. Only then planted in open ground.
11. The appearance of new shoots will be a signal for pinching them. The procedure stimulates tillering.
Weigela white
Layering:
1. Lay the side shoot, which is close to the ground, in a groove prepared in advance.
2. Pin the branch and sprinkle with earth.
3. Top part the escape must remain outdoors.
4. Rooting will come next spring.
5. In order for rooting to be more successful, the bark of the branch that will be in the ground should be broken.
6. Grow layering up to 3 years, only then send it to a permanent place.
Weigela reproduction seeds:
1. Planting material remains viable for up to 2 years.
2. Sow prepared seeds in open ground in autumn.
3. Shoots will appear in the spring.
4. Pull the seedlings, leaving the strongest and strongest specimens.
5. Grow at school up to 2 years.
6. After the time has elapsed, plant the bushes in a permanent place.
In the photo weigela blooming
Weigela care
To have bushes with lush crown some requirements must be met:
Water regularly. Pay special attention to irrigation in the spring, if the winter was snowless and many shoots were frozen.
Loosen the soil after irrigation. Mulching with sawdust can be a good alternative. The soil retains moisture well and does not allow weeds to break through.
In early spring, when there is still snow on the ground, the first top dressing is carried out. mineral fertilizers. Before the buds are tied, repeat the top dressing. Last time fertilizer should be applied in the fall. This time, phosphorus and potassium should be present in the composition.
Formative pruning weigela carry out after the summer flowering ends, 1 time in 2 years. It is on the growing shoots that new autumn flowering buds will appear. In the spring, be sure to carry out sanitary pruning. During the procedures, frozen, dry shoots are removed. It is worth recalling that branches are cut to healthy tissue. After 3-4 years, crown rejuvenation should be carried out. At the same time, branches are removed for 3 parts of the entire bush.
Bushes are perennial and do not need to be transplanted. In one place they grow up to 10 years.
V weigela care young specimens for wintering should be covered with spruce branches. In adult bushes, shoots can be tied and bent to the ground. They have amazing ability. They recover well after winter, even if the shoots are frozen.
Weigela early
Types and varieties of weigela
The Honeysuckle family, to which weigela belongs, is estimated at 15 species. Of these, three varieties can be found in the open spaces, to be quite precise, in the south of the Far East. In the wild, weigela lives in the South and East of Asia, China.
The most popular types and varieties of weigela
In the photo weigela variegated. It cannot be confused with other varieties. Since light green oval-shaped leaves are considered a feature, framed by a border along the edge of the sheet with a sharp tip.
If you look at the bush from afar, it seems to be full of multi-colored shades. The shape of the inflorescences, like most varieties in the form of huge ones with various shades, sit on short peduncles.
In the photo weigela hybrid
Weigela blooming. Among his brothers, he can be called a giant. Since its maximum growth is up to 3 meters. When grown in full sun, the color of the leaves is variegated.
Penumbra turns them into green tint. Weigela blooming can be used as hedge. When planting for it, it is worth considering the step between seedlings - 1.5 m. If the bush is grown as an ornamental plant, the step is 2.5 m.
In nature, weigela can be found in Japan, Northern China. Flowering begins in May and lasts 2 months. It grows well in partial shade on slightly acidic soil with moderate moisture. Does not tolerate stagnant water. In order for the bushes to bloom magnificently, strong thickening should not be allowed.
Weigela nana. medium tall, stretches up to 90 cm in length. The variety is frost-resistant, therefore it has perfectly taken root in the Western European climate.Inflorescences-bells up to 4 cm in diameter have a soft pink tint with white tints.
Weigela nana
The bush loves warmth and does not withstand northern winds. Only a quiet sunny, slightly shaded place without winds will give you the opportunity to open up in full glory. Favorably grows in slightly alkaline and acidic soil.
Pruning should be carried out sanitary in the spring, then the shoots will not keep you waiting and will grow with maximum strength.Landscape designers do not miss the opportunity to use in hedges and in single plantings.
Weigela bristol, ruby (Bristol Ruby). the giant stretches up to 3 meters and sprawling up to 2 meters in girth. It opens well if the soil is nutritious with moderate moisture.
In the photo weigela bristol
The culture is grown even in the cold regions of Russia, as it is considered a frost-resistant variety. Even a slight freezing of shoots in snowless winters ends with a quick recovery of the plant. Only after winter, all frozen branches should be cut to living tissue. Covering with spruce branches will help prevent freezing of branches.
Weigela ruby with large carmine-red bells. Inflorescences are collected in umbrellas. Buds grow only on last year's shoots. Flowering repeats twice per season.
Weigela ruby
The first time in spring and the second time in autumn. The last bloom, of course, is not as plentiful as the first time. You can stimulate it with timely pruning after the first flowering.
Weigela variegata(Variegata). Inflorescences of small diameter (3 cm) are collected in panicles and shade the bush with a lilac tint with a white overflow.
Weigela variegata
Plant leaves up to 5 cm long Green colour. On the outer edge, a white edging is barely noticeable.A medium-sized bush is popular among flower growers, as it is unpretentious in care, frost-resistant, and tolerates dry weather well.
Weigela red. The bright and rich colors of the shrub have made it especially popular among landscape designers.
Weigela hybrid. in the form of a compact bush 1.5 meters in length and a chic crown will be the pride of any garden.
Bell buds can be lilac, white, pink, purple, red. Inflorescences are collected in a loose rosette and emit a unique aroma. It differs from its counterparts in that the flowers release young shoots.
A derivative of the appearance of the variety are several representatives: abundantly flowering, Korean, flowering, garden weigela.The improved characteristics of the shrub, unlike its parents, have made it especially popular and most in demand among gardeners.
Weigela purpurea seedling
Weigela purpurea. Deciduous shrub stretches only 1 meter. Therefore, its compact forms are widely used in landscape design.The crown is densely strewn with bell buds, which makes it look elegant and festive.
The oval-shaped leaves are slightly narrowed at the end, changing their color during growth. When they are born, they Brown with red notes. Then, they acquire the usual green tint.
Weigela Alexandra
The bush reveals itself in all its glory with well-drained and fertile soil. In hot weather, it requires abundant watering in the evening.Flowering takes place in one approach, from June until frost.
Weigela red prince. bred by American breeders. The size of the shrub is 1.5x1.2 meters, where 1.5 is the height, 1.2 is the width. It has a wild success for its decorative effect, rapid growth, unpretentiousness.
Weigela Prince
The leaves are oval with a sharp tip. Inflorescences of a blood-red hue give the bush a special charm, sophistication and contrast favorably with the background of the leaves.
Weigela Prince offers to admire exquisite flowers twice a season. The first time at the end of spring, the second - in the fall (September). Inflorescences grow on last year's shoots. Therefore, after summer flowering, it is imperative to prune. Lush bloom can only be expected in sunny areas.
The prince does not like waterlogged soils, but feels good on loose, well-drained soil. For single landings, a step of up to 2 meters should be maintained. Do not forget about the basal neck when planting, it should not be buried under the ground.
Weigel Middendorf
Weigel Middendorf. The bush is suitable for stony soils. Since natural specimens grow along rocky placers, along streams and rivers.
Large bell-shaped shrub. The inner part of the flower is a yellow hue, gently shimmers with white hues on the outside.
Flowering and seed formation takes place twice a season. The compact growth of 1.5 meters allows it to be used in landscape design for single and group plantings.
Diseases and pests of weigela
Weigela susceptible to the following pests:
Aphid. Insects in the form of small midges attack the plant. At the same time, they not only drink the life-giving juice of the leaves, they are also carriers of fungal diseases.
Symptoms: leaves become covered like sweet syrup, curl, fall off. The sticky surface subsequently attracts ants. There is one pattern, if ants appeared, then aphids should be expected and vice versa.
Fighting: at an early stage, you can try insects mechanically. To do this, turn on the water and buy under the shower. Use the help of ladybugs.
Sparrows also actively fight pests. To attract them, you need to put feeders, drinkers in the garden. If the infection is severe, treat the bushes with insecticides.
Defeat weigela aphids
The larvae of the May beetle, Medvedka are often brought directly with compost or humus. It is necessary to carefully inspect the fertilizer before laying it in the planting hole. Treating the soil with insecticides before planting will also help prevent their reproduction.
Spider mites, thrips. more often affected by pests in hot weather. In order to prevent infection, it is good to treat with insecticidal tinctures on wormwood, garlic, hot pepper.
Among the diseases of weigela, fusarium, powdery mildew can be noted. To prevent their disease, it is worth remembering agricultural technology. It is good to carry out preventive treatments in the spring. And also avoid crowded landings. To do this, remove the shoots growing inside in time, do sanitary pruning, rejuvenation.