Types of weigela. Beautiful Weigela: planting and leaving Weigela pink early

Weigela is an abundant and brightly flowering shrub. It is named after the German scientist K.E. Weigel. The plant belongs to the Honeysuckle family. His homeland is the island of Java, east and southeast Asia. Weigela can be found on wet soils in light forests and on sunny lawns. Due to its beauty and unpretentious nature, it is used to decorate parks, gardens and home gardens. With a small species diversity, the number of decorative varieties of the most unusual palette is very large.

Botanical characteristics

Weigela is a deciduous shrub with upright woody stems. It is nourished by a branched rhizome without horizontal shoots (stolons), so the shrub does not capture the adjacent territory and remains compact. The stems are covered with brown cracking bark. They branch more from the base. Simple petiolate leaves grow oppositely. They are oval in shape with serrated sides and a pointed edge.

Weigela blooms twice a year: at the end of May and in August. Flowering lasts about a month. The buds are formed on young green and woody last year's branches. Individual flowers or small dense clusters of 2-6 buds appear in the leaf axils. Their pedicels are very short or absent altogether.

Corolla correct shape consists of five ovoid petals with a pointed edge. They are colored in shades of white, yellow, pink, dark red or magenta... Often the color becomes lighter or more intense over time. At the base, the petals form a wide tube. 5 stamens with linear anthers and a small ovary column with a capitate stigma protrude from it. The length of the opened flower reaches 5 cm.

After pollination, small bivalve capsules with hard woody edges are formed. They are ovoid or oval in shape with a tapered nose. Inside there are many small angular seeds, occasionally winged.

Types and varieties of weigela

In total, 15 species are combined in the genus Weigela. Of these, about 7 are used in culture. But the varietal variety knows no boundaries and is constantly being replenished with new samples.

A slender, deciduous shrub grows 1-1.5 m in height. It is distinguished by good resistance to frost and actively grows and blooms even in the shade. The plant has ascending shoots. Bright green leaves are pubescent along the veins. Flowers with a diameter of 3-4 cm bloom in May and September. They are collected at the ends of young shoots in dense clusters of 2-6 buds and delight with their beauty for 25-30 days. Bright yellow corollas are covered with orange spots and specks.

A large shrub (up to 3 m in height) covered with ovoid dark green leaves with short petioles. The foliage has finely serrated edges and a sparse nap along the central vein. Bright pink bell-shaped flowers are collected in loose inflorescences of 3-4 buds. They appear in May and last up to 20 days. Varieties:

• Weigela red - a dense bush up to 1.5 m in height grows dark brown-red leaves, and by mid-June it dissolves flowers with rich pink petals and a yellow center;
• Nana purpurea is a dwarf copy of the previous variety;
• Weigela pink - a spreading bush dissolves small flowers. Outside, the petals are painted in pink-carmine color, but inside they are light, almost white;
• Variegata - frost-resistant, graceful variety 2-2.5 m high blooms with small (up to 3.5 cm) bright pink flowers;
• Minor Black is a dwarf, slow-growing shrub with dark green, reddish leaves throughout the summer covered with dark pink flowers 25 mm in diameter;
• Alexandra is a spherical shrub with a diameter of 1-1.5 m covered with medium-sized burgundy or dark purple oval foliage, in the first half of summer it dissolves red-pink bells up to 4 cm in diameter.

A bush with a dense crown grows up to 150 cm tall. Beautiful tubular flowers with a delicate aroma bloom on it. The color is dominated by white, pink, lilac, purple tones. Varieties:

• Bristol Ruby - at a height of 2.5 m, the diameter of the shrub reaches 3.5 m. Bright green leaves grow on the branches, and tubular flowers appear by the end of June. The rose petals have a ruby ​​border and an orange spot at the base.
• Red Prince - a sprawling bush up to 1.5 m high consists of drooping shoots with green leaves. His flowers are bright red, large.
• Eva Rathke is a compact bush 50-60 cm high in June-August, covered with glossy tubular carmine-red flowers.
• Nana variegata is a compact weigela with crimson or white-pink flowers, collected in clusters of 3-4 buds.
• Cardinal - large plant with abundant snow-white flowering.
• Weigela red-leaved - shiny olive leaves in the center have a reddish spot.
• Carnival is a bush 50-70 cm high with bright green oval leaves in June-July, blooms tubular purple-red flowers.

Reproduction methods

Weigels use seeds or cuttings for reproduction. For sowing, you should take seeds up to 1 year old. This method is suitable for the propagation of species plants, as varietal traits are easily degraded. Crops can be carried out directly in open ground in the fall or in early spring in pots with loose fertile soil. When friendly shoots with two leaves appear, they are dived and thinned out. After a year, the plants will grow 6-7 cm in height and have 6-8 leaves. It is important to ensure that the plantings are not too dense, otherwise the rhizomes will get confused. From the second year, weigela can be planted in open ground. For young plants, protection from winter frost is most important. At the age of two, the seedling will grow up to 40-50 cm in height, and it will begin to bloom from the age of 4.

For propagation of weigels by cuttings, green semi-lignified shoots are used. They are cut in the summer. Each branch should have 2 nodes. After cutting, the leaves are removed or shortened by 30-50%. For 1-2 hours, the cuttings are placed in ordinary warm water, and then for 12 hours they are treated with a root-forming compound (heteroauxin). At this stage, they are kept in a darkened place with a temperature of + 20 ... + 25 ° C. Then the cuttings are planted in sandy-peat soil. Sprinkle the soil on top with a layer river sand and cover the plantings with a greenhouse film. Watering is carried out twice a day. Usually all planting material is rooted.

For planting lignified cuttings, they are cut in April, before bud break. The length of the branches is 15-20 cm. After treatment with Kornevin, the cuttings are planted in pots with sand and turf. They are covered with foil. Rooting takes place within a few weeks, but with less efficiency. A month later, the sprouts are pinched, and later they are fed with organic or mineral composition(mullein, superphosphate, ammonium nitrate). Grown plants are planted in the garden.

Landing and location

Weigel is chosen a well-lit, closed place. From drafts and cold gusts of wind, the buds fall off without blooming. The soil should be loose, fertile and sufficiently moist. It can be loam and sandy loam with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. Only weigela Middendorf adapts well to slightly acidic peat soils.

It is better to choose plants from 3 years old to the garden. Planting is carried out in early spring, before bud break. When planted in autumn, weigela sometimes does not have time to adapt and dies in a frosty winter. For planting, pits are prepared with a depth of 30-40 cm. A drainage layer of gravel or shards is laid on the bottom. The free space is filled with earth with the addition of compost and nitrophoska (up to 100 g per bush).

In group plantings, the distance depends on the height of a particular variety. It ranges from 80 cm to 1.5-2 m. The rhizome is carefully laid out and compacted. The root collar should be on the surface or deepen by 1-2 cm.After planting is completed, abundant watering is carried out and the soil surface is mulched.

Care features

Weigela is unpretentious, caring for her will not be too burdensome. Plants are watered only in case of prolonged absence of precipitation and on too hot days. Periodically weed the area and remove weeds. This must be done with care, since the root system is close to the surface.

After transplanting with top dressing, weigela is not fertilized for two years. Then a portion is brought in in the spring. mineral fertilizer(ammofosk, diammofosk). In early summer, during the budding period, the bushes are watered with a solution potassium sulfate or superphosphate. At autumn digging bring into the near-stem circle wood ash(200 g / m²) or Kemiru.

To maintain attractiveness, weigela needs regular pruning... Sanitary cleaning is carried out in the spring. Remove broken and frozen branches. In the summer, the crown is thinned out and shaped. In summer pruning, only part of the branches are removed, because re-flowering occurs due to the young growth. Once every 3-4 years, the bushes need to be rejuvenated. To do this, remove up to 30% of the branches. They are cut to the ground. Sometimes complete cutting of the bush is practiced. There is no need to worry about the renewal of the crown, weigela perfectly tolerates any types of haircuts.

In the fall, weigela is prepared for wintering. After leaf fall, the near-stem circle is sprinkled with earth and mulched. The crown of heat-loving plants is tied with twine and covered with non-woven material or roofing felt. The structure is fixed, and the top is covered with fallen leaves. In winter, it is recommended to trample the snow close to the roots so that the rodents do not damage the shoots.

Weigela is usually resistant to plant diseases. If the place chosen for it is too shady and damp, it may develop gray rot, rust or mottling. To cope with the fungus helps "Topsin" or Bordeaux liquid (a mixture of lime with copper sulfate). Preventive treatment is carried out before bud break.

Use in the garden

Weigela bushes are used in group and single plantings on open areas lawn, along the curb, at the entrance to the garden or at the house. They are also used for zoning, decoration alpine slides or an exquisite garden in japanese style... Weigelu can be combined with other shrubs such as barberry, cotoneaster, spirea, cypress.

Each of the ornamental plants that adorn our garden has some kind of "zest" -feature. For instance, flowering shrub Weigela surprises us with repeated autumn bloom... This is especially pleasant, because in the fall, the choice of flowering plants is not so diverse. Weigela, planting and caring for her will be the subject of our article. Since it cannot be attributed to simple plants (this shrub is quite finicky), we will understand in detail the intricacies of growing.

Weigela is a flowering deciduous shrub from the honeysuckle family. V wildlife grows in South-East Asia and in the Far East. The name was given in honor of the botanist Christian Ehrenfried von Weigel. Grows up to 2 meters. It blooms profusely in late spring, and a second time in early autumn. The flowers are large (about 5 cm) tubular bells. They can be pink, white, cream, red of various shades. The leaves are also quite decorative, they are slightly velvety, dark green, but they can also be purple or have a white border. After flowering, it forms a fruit-box with small seeds, which remain viable for only one year.

There are 15 species of weigela, and breeders have bred about 200 hybrid varieties. However, only a few are particularly popular.

Weigela early (Weigela praecox)- is distinguished by decorative gray-brown bark, beautiful smooth foliage with unusual light spots. It has large, pink flowers with a yellow center.

Weigela Middendorf (Weigela middendorffiana)- one and a half meter shrub, which differs among weigel by relatively good frost resistance. The flowers are creamy beige with orange specks In the middle.

Weigela early
Weigela Middendorf (flowers)
Weigel Middendorf

Weigela flowering (Weigela florida)- a tall (up to 3 m) shrub with unusual bright green leaves with a light edging. The flowers are white and pink. Represented by varieties: "Purpurea Nana", "Monet", "Nana Variegata".

Weigela Korean (Weigela coraeensis)- the highest species of weigel (up to 5 m), in our conditions it reaches only one and a half meters. Leaves are elliptical with a pointed tip. Large flowers gradually change color. They bloom pale pink, and fade already brightly carmine.

Weigela blooming "Monet"
Weigela blooming "Spilled-Wine"
Weigela Korean

Weigela profusely flowering (Weigela floribunda)- is considered a fast-growing species, grows well after a little freezing. It has beautifully curved branches with bright red-pink flowers.

Weigela Maximovich (Weigela maximowiczii)- differs in pubescent leaves and white-yellow flowers. Flowering is not abundant.

Weigela hybrid (Weigela hybrida)- this species has combined all varieties that were obtained by crossing. The result is relatively short shrubs with varied colors of flowers and leaves. Their frost resistance was also increased. Some of the hybrid varieties: Desboisii, Rosea, Marc Tellier, Eva Rathke, Pierre Duchartre, Styriaca, Nana variegata, Loymansii Aurea, Bristol Ruby, Nabelli Cara Victoria, Sunny Princess, Tango, Bristol Snowflake, Candida.

Weigela profusely
Weigela hybrid "Nana Variegata"

Landing features

Weigela is most often planted in the spring, as it is a heat-loving plant. Over the summer, she will have time to take root in a new place, and the bushes planted in the fall may freeze out.

It is very important to choose the right landing site. It must be absolutely sunny and, most importantly, protected from wind and drafts. In the shade, weigela grows worse and flowering will be poor.

The planting soil should be fertile, but very loose. A suitable potting mix consists of garden soil, river sand, turf and humus. You can add a little compound fertilizer.

We prepare a hole about half a meter long and wide. We make good drainage from expanded clay, crushed stone or chipped bricks. Weigela does not like stagnant water, therefore, a drainage layer of at least 15 cm is required. The distance between plants should be from one and a half to three meters (depending on the variety). When planting a weigela, the root collar is located at the same level with the ground, but a slight (1-2 cm) deepening is allowed. After planting, the top layer should be mulched using sawdust, straw, dry foliage and needles.

Reproduction

Weigela propagates, like most plants, by cuttings and seeds. Roots best in summer cuttings. In early summer (after flowering) cuttings are prepared. To do this, use young green shoots about 15 cm long. It is recommended to put the cuttings in a solution of a preparation that stimulates root formation for several hours for better rooting. Then they are planted in a sand-peat mixture at an angle of 30 degrees, deepening a little (about 1 cm). After that, to create a greenhouse effect, the cuttings are covered with transparent film. They must be ventilated and sprayed with water every day. The next spring, young plants are already planted in open ground. And after two years you will be pleased with the first flowering.

For reproduction, you can take last year's stiff stalk. They are cut in the spring before the start of sap flow. They are also treated with a rooting stimulant. They can be planted both in a container and in open ground in partial shade. Be sure to cover with foil or PET bottles. After about 5 years, the first flowering occurs.

Propagated by weigela and seeds. But young plants in this case may differ in their external data from the parent. Seeds harvested in autumn can be sown in the seedling container in early spring, be sure to cover it plastic wrap... Don't forget about airing and watering. After the appearance of 3 leaves, the seedlings dive. And when the ground warms up well, and the young plants get a little stronger, they should be planted in open ground. Flowering occurs in the sixth year.

You can also propagate weigela by dividing the bush and layering. But these methods are practiced less often.

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Subtleties of care

1. Top dressing... Like any plant, weigela needs fertilization. The first complex feeding should be carried out in early spring, scattering it directly over the snow in the root circle. The second is in late spring before flowering.
2. Watering... Since weigela does not like stagnant water, moderate watering is needed. It is watered abundantly in spring, if the winter was little snow, as well as during dressing, and in summer - during a dry period.
3. Loosening... After watering and removing weeds, be sure to loosen the soil around the bush. This will provide oxygen to the roots. After loosening, mulching can be carried out.
4. Pruning... In early spring, be sure to remove dry, frozen, sick, as well as branches bent inside the bush. Anti-aging pruning is performed once every three years. So that the bush does not lose its splendor, cut off branches with wilted flowers by a third of the length.
5. Wintering... Modern varieties are relatively frost-resistant, nevertheless, weigela needs shelter for the winter. After the leaves fall, trunk circle well mulch and cover with dry leaves, straw, needles. Bush branches are tied, bent to the ground, pinned with wire and covered with one of the covering materials. Some growers build a simple frame. If the bush is small, then after tying it, you can simply wrap it up with agrofiber in several layers.
6. Problems... If the planting of weigela is very dense, as well as in the rainy season, its leaves can be affected by various fungal diseases. In this case, the plant should be treated with Bordeaux mixture or suitable fungicides. The main pest for weigela is aphids, occasionally it can be affected by ticks or caterpillars. To combat them, spraying with acaricides and insecticides is used.

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Use in design

Weigela occupies a fairly high position in the landscape design of the garden. After all, it has a lush crown with decorative leaves, and also blooms very beautifully and profusely.

You won't get a harvest from them. But not a single harvest ... True gardeners and florists necessarily plant something for the soul. One of these soulful shrubs is weigela. Unfortunately, the farther north, the less often you can find it in garden plots. It is believed that she cannot stand our frosts. For the most part, such statements are somewhat exaggerated. Weigela can be grown almost anywhere. Except, perhaps, the Far North. But this requires a bit of effort.

Weigela: planting and care

Landing

Seat selection

Weigela is divided into two main types: flowering and variegated. From the names it is clear that one blooms, and the second is good for its foliage. Based on these main differences, we will choose a place for planting weigels. Flowering species this shrub can do without the bright sun, flourishing successfully in shaded areas. Variegated weigela prefers a well-lit, sunny place. General requirement to the place for planting weigels - protection from drafts and winter wind. It is the cold wind that poses a particular danger to her in winter period... If you can still protect it from frost various shelters, then it will be much more difficult to protect yourself from the wind. As a result, in the spring there will be many frozen and broken branches. It would be most reasonable to plant it in a group with other shrubs, which will protect it from the wind, and the snow in such a group is better delayed. In latitudes with mild climates, weigelu is often planted as a hedge. It is very good in combination with small spireas, forsythia, conifers.

Note! This plant is long-lived. In the right place, it can grow for 50 years or more.

The soil

The main requirement for the soil on which weigela will grow is fertility. It is believed that its composition is not particularly important, but it is desirable that it be not particularly heavy, it is good for moisture and air to pass through.

Preparing for landing

Regardless of the degree of fertility of the land in your chosen place, it must be prepared in advance. For planting weigela, a hole is usually dug with dimensions of 50x50x50 centimeters. The earth, which is taken out of it, is mixed in equal proportions with compost with the addition of a small amount of nitrophoska (100-150 grams). This is the most commonly used method. But there is another, more effective way that will allow a young plant to adapt to new conditions faster and more successfully. In this case, the excavated soil is not used, but is replaced with a mixture of turf soil (two parts), humus (one part) and sand (two parts). Regardless of which of these methods you choose, create a drainage layer 10-15 centimeters thick at the bottom of the planting hole. This will eliminate stagnation of water at the roots of the plant. For drainage, you can use broken red brick or gravel (medium size) mixed with sand.

When to plant weigela

Basically, the planting date falls on April. But if spring comes early in your area, then you can plant earlier, as soon as the ground thaws. Although they practice autumn planting weigels, for most areas it is unacceptable. With the onset of early cold weather, the plant simply does not have enough time to adapt and prepare for winter.

Important! When buying a seedling, be sure to ask about its age. A plant that is too young may simply not take root. The optimum age of a seedling suitable for planting is three (at least two) years.

Landing features

• The root collar of the plant does not completely deepen during the planting process. About one and a half to two centimeters of the root collar of the seedling should remain above the ground. Over time, he himself will sink to the desired depth.
• For group plantings of weigels, keep the distance between the planting pits at least three meters.
• Overdrying is hard for it. Therefore, good quality mulching after planting and throughout the growing process is highly desirable.

Weigela care

Watering

Weigela bushes are needed regularly and abundantly, especially if the summers are hot and dry. The earth should not dry out. If you are not mulching the soil, be sure to loosen it around the bush. Otherwise, it will weather and harden to such a state that it will be unable to pass water.

Top dressing

To get a beautiful weigela bush, it is enough twice a season. The first feeding of the bushes is done in early spring. The second feeding is when flower buds begin to form. Young bushes, for better adaptation and painless wintering, are also fed with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers at the beginning of autumn. Among fans, the following scheme of regular feeding has become widespread: at the very beginning of spring, when the snow has not yet melted, a mixture of potassium sulfate (10 grams), urea (20 grams) and superphosphate (10 grams) is scattered right over it. The second top dressing most often falls at the beginning of summer, and consists of double superphosphate (30 grams) and the same amount of potassium sulfate.

Wintering

If you ignore the preparation of the weigela for winter, then you can easily lose the plant.

Advice. If you do not have proper experience in caring for heat-loving plants growing in open ground, then first give preference to hardy, frost-resistant species and varieties of this plant. Let them even be inferior in decorativeness to more delicate varieties. Ideally, if it is a seedling obtained from a bush that has been growing in your area for more than a year. At a neighbor in the country, for example.

But even such a plant must be protected and protected from frost. Both the ground at the roots and the bush itself are protected. There is no need to invent anything special. The bush is wrapped with any suitable covering material (spunbond and the like), and the ground is covered with pine spruce branches, fallen leaves, sawdust and the like.

But if your winters are harsh or the weigela bush is very gentle, then this will not be enough. It will be necessary to build a kind of hut around the bush. For this, around the plant, a frame is made from any available material, which is filled with fallen leaves, straw, sawdust, etc., and then covered with covering material from above. In this case, you get a double effect: protection from frost and wind.

Make sure to sweep the snow from the covered bush during the winter, and especially if the bush has not covered. A large number of snow can damage it. The periods of thaw are especially dangerous, when the snow becomes especially heavy and breaks off the fragile branches of the weigela.

Note! Despite all efforts, it happens that it is not possible to avoid frostbite of the bush. In the spring, it may appear to be heavily frostbitten. But this does not mean at all that he died completely. You can try to cast it. This means that the bush must be watered very abundantly. At least a bucket of water per bush.

Pruning

Scheduled pruning of weigela is carried out only in the spring. Annual pruning is hygienic rather than formative. The frozen ends of the branches are cut off and completely frozen branches are cut out. In the fall, the bush is not pruned. The exception is the removal of broken branches.

Formative, it is also stimulating pruning is carried out at intervals of two to three years. Such pruning is carried out after the flowering of the bush, that is, in the summer. At this time, it is easy to identify and cut off weak or, on the contrary, fattening shoots, branches that grow inside the bush. In general, everything that spoils appearance... At the same time, all good, productive shoots undergo stimulating pruning by a third, or even up to half of the length. You can also form a beautiful bush by regularly pinching young shoots.

Note! Often after summer pruning, weigela blooms again. Prepare her for this. Immediately after the end of pruning, water the bush abundantly and feed it with complex fertilizer.

Reproduction of weigela

The most simple and affordable way reproduction of weigela - cuttings. The most favorable time for this: April - May, the period preceding the laying of the kidneys. For reproduction, young cuttings that have not had time to woody are cut. The stalk should have a couple of leaves, and be 10-12 centimeters long. Beforehand, the cuttings can be kept in a solution of any root formation stimulator (this is epin, heteroauxin, "Kornevin") for 8-10 hours (leave overnight).

Cuttings can be planted directly into open ground. For a "children's" garden bed, select a quiet, slightly shaded place on the site and first prepare the soil for rooting on it. It should be very light and loose. To do this, remove part of the soil from the bed and replace it with a mixture of peat and sand (sand can be replaced or perlite, which is more desirable). The cutting does not go deep into the ground - within a centimeter.

After planting, water the cutting abundantly and create a kind of greenhouse over it. A cut-off plastic bottle will work very well, but a glass jar or PE bag with a frame will do.

In the process of rooting, and this is about a month and a half (often less), water the cutting regularly and often, periodically air it. When the stalk has got its own roots, leave it in the "children's" growing bed. He is still not allowed to take a permanent place. Please be patient, in a couple of years your young weigela will be ready for transplant.

Important! A grown weigela seedling especially needs careful shelter for the winter. True, given its size, it will not be difficult to do this.

Good luck in growing!

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Weigela is appreciated by gardeners and landscape designers for high decorative properties ... Luxurious bushes with buds of incredible shades adorn thousands of gardens and summer cottages.

Flowers

Weigela ornamental shrub delights connoisseurs of true beauty. The flowers of this plant look great against the background of emerald lawns.

Variegated or bright green leaves accentuate the pleasing appearance of the weigela flowers. Tubular buds up to 5 cm in size are often collected in inflorescences. There are varieties with single flowers.

Breeders brought many hybrid varieties with buds of various shades... There is even an original Carnival variety: on one bush there are flowers of different tones.

The color of the petals ranges from pale whites and creams to rich pinks and purples. Some varieties have dark, crimson-red and brown buds.

The color of the buds may change during the flowering season. Weigela blooms twice a year:

• first time in May;
• the second period is in August - September.

Weigela in landscape design

The plant with spectacular flowers and vibrant leaves is ideal for creating original compositions in areas of different sizes.

Weigela ornamental shrub is used:

1. For bright hedges. Maintain sufficient distance between bushes.
2. As a tapeworm. Blooming weigela looks great against the background of an ideal lawn. It is advisable to plant single bushes in regions with a warm climate.
3. To create alpine slides. Low-growing varieties are suitable.
4. To decorate the edges of the background conifers or next to tall trees.
5. In mixborders in combination with dwarf bows, delicate irises and other spring flowers. Compact varieties are suitable for this purpose.

Varieties. Descriptions. Photo

For many years, breeders have been breeding new varieties of the ornamental weigela shrub. Hybrid varieties are obtained by crossing several species of weigela.

One of the main advantages of hybrids is their higher decorative properties. Varieties obtained as a result of breeding work are grown more often than pure varieties.

Many varieties of ornamental shrubs have long been known to gardeners. Weigela - suitable material for breeding new varieties.

For you - a description and colorful photos of popular varieties of the weigela plant and an acquaintance with interesting new products that are successfully used in landscape design and that will help decorate your garden or area around the house.

Early

The bush reaches two meters in height. Peculiarity - dense dense crown... In spring and summer, the leaves are bright green, by the fall the ocher color appears.

The stems are almost invisible. The bark on young shoots is colored light brown and red.

The flowering period is 10-30 days. Delicate buds are light, purple-red.

Photo of early weigela.

Red Prince

A popular variety native to America. Spherical bush with a diameter of 1.5 m. The crown is neat, the leaves are rich green.

The flowers are bright red, large, up to 5 cm long. This variety blooms in early June, the second time in early September.

Photo by Weigela Red Prince.

Coins

The variety of this weigela is distinguished by unique color of leaf plates... Variegated, brownish-pink, greenish leaves with pinkish-white edging immediately attract increased attention to the shrub.

One of the lowest dwarf varieties grows no more than 60–70 cm in height. The width of the bush does not exceed 80 cm.

Delicate pink flowers are collected in inflorescences of two or three buds. Veigela blossoming Monet won the Grand Prix at a specialized exhibition in Holland in 2004.

Weigela Minor Black

Low shrub - up to 60 cm.The variety is distinguished by the original, dark red, closer to black, shade of leaves.

Bell-shaped, pink-red buds bloom in late May - early June. The variety loves sunny areas.

Magic Rainbow

This interesting variety of weigela is in demand by gardeners. Peculiarity: the changing color of the leaves during the seasons... At the end of spring, the border along the edges of the leaf plate is yellow-green, and in autumn it is already red-pink. No wonder the name of this variety in translation sounds like "Magic rainbow"

Pink buds appear in June. The bush tolerates partial shade well, but it is advisable to plant the plant in lighted places. It tolerates winter well. Shelter with spruce branches is required.

Eva Rathke

The pride of Polish breeders. The variety was bred in Gdansk in 1890. The bush is not high - up to 1 m, but the crown diameter reaches 3 m!

The blooming weigela variety Eva Rathke has pointed elliptical leaves up to 10 cm long. long flowering period from June to August... Carmine red buds inside a lighter shade.

Victoria

Weigela's ornamental shrub pleases not only beautiful flowers, but also leaves of incredible shades. This characteristic is 100% suitable for the description interesting variety Victoria.

The leaf plates have serrated edges, a deep red-brown tone, and an elliptical shape. Flowers look beautiful against the background of the crown of an unusual color.

The shrub grows slowly. Maximum height no more than 2 m, more often: meter - one and a half.

In June, weigela Victoria is decorated with inflorescences.

Peculiarity: if there is a second flowering in September (which does not happen every year), then only single buds will appear.

Carnival

The name of the variety accurately reflects the appearance of this ornamental plant... At the same time, the bush is decorated with buds three types... Bright shades of pink and red flowers are mixed with the delicate whiteness of white buds.

Weigela variety Carnival- fast-growing, the height of the bush reaches one and a half meters. The buds reach 4 cm. The inflorescences are located at the tops of short shoots or in the leaf axils.

Rosea

A popular variety, a hybrid of Korean and flowering weigela. A bush with a spreading crown is low - up to one and a half meters.

Peculiarity - large pale pink flowers. Winter hardy variety, there is enough foliage to protect from cold weather.

Variegated

A beautifully flowering variety of weigela. Leaves green with white edging... Flowers up to 4 cm in size are collected in groups or single. The buds are red-pink, the edges of the petals are lighter in color.

The flowering period is from May to June. Sometimes the second time the buds appear in early September.

Brighella

A beautiful compact bush with a height of 1.5 to 2 m grows well even in arid areas. Watering, of course, is required, but the Brigella variety withstands the absence of the required amount moisture.

Peculiarity: side branches original form, an interesting shade of bell-shaped buds. The flowers are lighter inside than outside. Weigela Brigell ornamental shrub with deep red-pink buds will add color to even the most boring area.

Candida

The new variety quickly gained popularity among landscape designers and hobby gardeners. Luxurious shrub up to 2 m high covered snow white bell-shaped flowers.

The buds are collected from the inflorescence in several pieces. The shade will not fade even during the wilting period.

The leaves are light green, the crown is quite dense.

Weigela Candida prefers warm places without strong gusts of wind.

Naomi Campbell

An original variety with bronze, sometimes deep reddish-brown foliage. Glossy sheet plates- the darkest among all varieties of weigels.

The flowering period is June - July, the buds are dark pink. The bush is highly decorative. The buds stand out clearly against the background of the bronze-red foliage.

Slow-growing shrub grows only 80 cm. The variety requires shelter for the winter.

Lucifer

An unusual, memorable variety. The leaves are juicy, bright green. Weigela Lucifer variety grows quickly, blooms profusely... Shrub height - up to 2.5 m.

Bell-shaped buds, dark red, bright. Do not change color during the wilting period. You can achieve the second wave of flowering on time summer pruning weigels. In August - September, the bush can be covered with flowers again.

Sunny Princesses

The original look of the shrub is explained a combination of pleasant pink flowers and green leaves with yellow edging... The height of the bush is up to one and a half meters, the width is the same.

It tolerates both the sun and partial shade. We need fertile soil and timely loosening. The variety is afraid of severe drought. Looks great in single and group plantings.

Photo of a weigela bush Sunny Princess with pink flowers.

All Summe ed

The new variety appeared on the market in 2013 and immediately got into the TOP-10 varieties of weigela. Ornamental shrub prized for continuous flowering.

In May - June, the bush is strewn with tubular flowers of a bright red hue. Re-flowering begins immediately.

The height of the shrub with bright green leaves is up to 1 m, the width is up to 1.8 m. For the Oll Samme red variety, buds are characteristic both on young and old shoots.

You need to prune every two to three years. Experts advise to shorten the shoots immediately after the first flowering.

This variety is used in pots and containers. The cultivar has received an award for its long flowering period.

Weigela - ornamental shrub, in demand in landscape design... Create a wonderful corner on your site, in which a delightful weigela will play a central role.

Choose interesting hybrid varieties. At proper care a flowering shrub will delight the eye for a long time.

Weigela is one of the plants of the honeysuckle family, distinguished by pink, white, yellow or cream inflorescences. Correct planting and caring for a weigela in the open field begins with the selection of a place - it is desirable that it is on the sunny side, protected from strong winds.

If you plant a weigela between buildings, where there are strong drafts, unopened buds can crumble.

For weigela, sandy loam or loamy neutral soil is suitable. The only species of this shrub that takes root well on slightly acidic peaty soil is Weigela Middendorf.

Planting weigels in open ground in Leningrad region carried out in a pre-prepared hole about 40 cm deep. If fertilizers are planned to be placed on the bottom, you can increase the depth to half a meter or even a little more. It is advisable to mix fertilizers with compost, and lay on the very bottom of the pit broken bricks to prevent water from quickly sinking into the lower soil layers. In addition, after planting and abundant watering, the soil is mulched.

Autumn planting of weigela in open ground is undesirable, since even young plants planted in spring can hardly tolerate frosty and snowy winters.

Care for young and adult weigela

As with any shrub, the main outdoor care for weigela is pruning. It is best carried out from the beginning of spring to June - by freeing the branches from diseased or dry shoots, you will let the young growth leap up with a vengeance. Even if the branches are not diseased, to give the bush a more well-groomed look, you can trim the branches that are knocked out of general form... If everything is done correctly, the bushes will quickly recover and in the summer they will delight you with green leaves, and later with flowers.

If pruning was not carried out in the spring, you can arrange the shrub in early to mid-autumn, but then it is recommended to prune only dry branches.

Planting weigela and caring for it in the open field - simple task, but the cultivation of the bush does not end there. While weigela is just taking root on your site, it is worth giving it a little more care: so that the plant does not freeze, wrap the bushes in spunbond (sold in hardware and flower shops) or plain craft paper. For the same purpose, it is worth sprinkling the ground around the trunk with fallen leaves or spruce branches.

If these tricks did not help and the weigela did not endure the winter well, you need to provide her with constant abundant watering (up to 10 liters of water per one bush). Hot weather can also harm the plant, so water it as often as possible. So that the liquid does not go away quickly and maintains the root system in fresh, you need to mulch the soil by adding wood chips or humus.

An adult weigela is much more unpretentious, but even several years after planting, care for a weigela in the open field should be as follows:

1. For the winter, install a fence around the bush, which should protect it from breakage under the weight of the snow. If the winter is not very snowy, just periodically shake off the snow from the branches.
2. In early spring and summer (just at the time when weigela can be transplanted), feed. For this, either double superphosphate is suitable. You can also check with your flower shop assistant which of your existing fertilizers can be used for the weigela.
3. If weigela is infected with bacteria, the so-called Bordeaux liquid can save it. It is mixed in equal proportions copper sulfate and milk of lime, which is sprayed on the affected areas.

Why did weigela stop blooming?

Even if the planting of the weigela and caring for it in the open field in the suburbs (in temperate latitudes) were carried out correctly, this does not guarantee that after a while the shrub will not stop blooming. However, the first thing worth paying attention to is just the poorly chosen landing site. Weigela does not like shade and simply cannot bloom in the absence of the sun. In addition, the shady side can cause the seeds of the shrub to ripen for a long time. Young shoots can also suffer from a lack of sunshine: they will quickly grow stiff, which will affect overall development bush.

Two more reasons why weigela can stop blooming are the defeat of the root system by beetles and insufficient watering. Timely fertilization of the soil and frequent watering is practically a panacea for all diseases of weigela, so you should not neglect the minimal care of the shrub.

Reproduction of weigela in various ways

They love warm and sunny latitudes, but correct fit and caring for a weigela in the open field in the Urals (in a sharply continental climate) can also give excellent results... It is important to remember that this shrub can be propagated in two ways.

Vegetative (separation of cuttings or cuttings)

This is the most acceptable way of reproduction for weigela, which allows you to get several healthy young plants at once. As already mentioned, pruning and planting weigela outdoors in the spring is the best option. It is more likely that by winter the shrub will take root and will be ready to meet frosts and snowfalls.

Cutting of suitable shoots is carried out in the fall, and their planting - in early spring, in boxes with pre-fertilized soil. For greater safety, it is required to put boxes in greenhouses or hotbeds under plastic wrap.

Using seeds

Seeds appear only 3-4 years after planting. Unlike propagation by cuttings, it is better to plant seeds in the fall - as soon as they are ripe, they can be used for planting. If there is a need to preserve the seeds until spring, you need to pack them in paper or fabric bags, and in the spring they should not be sown immediately in open ground, but in boxes or pots.