Weigela japonica

RHS Plant Profile
Japanese weigela

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Shrubs

A large deciduous shrub to about 5m in height, with oval tapered dark green leaves and pale rose or nearly white young flowers that age to carmine red, produced during late spring and early summer

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

4-8 metres

Max Spread

4-8 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
10–20 years
Max Spread
4-8 metres
Max Height
4-8 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained or Well–drained
pH
Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade
Aspect
East–facing or West–facing or South–facing
Exposure
Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H6

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Caprifoliaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy, Spreading branched
Genus
Weigela are bushy deciduous shrubs with simple, ovate leaves and small clusters of funnel-shaped white, yellow, pink or red flowers on short side shoots in late spring and summer
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
Japan

How to Grow

Cultivation

Easy to grow in most moist but well-drained, fertile soils in sun or partial shade

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in early summer, semi-ripe cuttings in midsummer or hardwood cuttings in late autumn and winter

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Climber and wall shrubs
  • Hedging and screens

Pruning

Pruning group 2 in midsummer after flowering. Responds well to pruning, renovate in early spring

Pests

May be susceptible to leaf and bud eelworms, capsid bug and brown scale

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus