Abelia

UT Extension Agent Joellen Dimond talks about abelia. Abelia is a shrub that blooms from early summer to frost. The old traditional Abelia grandiflora gets about 6 feet tall which limits its use in the landscape. New varieties offer a shorter shrub (some less than two feet) and different colors. Joellen reviews several cultivars. Most abelia cultivars are evergreen in zones 6-9 but may lose their leaves in a cold zone 5 type winter. They will leaf back out in the spring.

Abelia likes well drained soil. They are pest and disease free and drought tolerant. Abelia accepts a wide range of pH. It like full sun to part shade. With more sun abelia will have smaller leaves and more flowers. It is deer resistant. It is a good urban shrub.

Abelia blooms on current season’s growth. Prune it early in the spring. Pruning is not necessary, the plant grows in a mound form naturally.  

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Related Resources:
Abelia Grandiflora
Glossy Abelia
Abelia x Grandiflora