Abelia × grandiflora 'Lady Summerdream'

RHS Plant Profile

abelia 'Lady Summerdream'

RHS

Shrubs

An evergreen to semi-evergreen dwarf shrub to a height of around 1m, with variegated foliage which turns from green in the spring and summer to yellows, oranges and reds in the autumn and winter. Single, delicate star-shaped pink and white frangranced flowers appear in the summer

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Loam, Sand

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

1-1.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years
Max Spread: 1-1.5 metres
Max Height: 1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or West–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): H5
Drought Resistance: Yes

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Caprifoliaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen, Semi evergreen
Habit: Bushy
Genus: Abelia can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs or small trees, with paired or whorled leaves and axillary or terminal clusters of funnel-shaped or trumpet-shaped flowers in summer and autumn, sometimes with conspicuous, colourful calyces
Name Status: Unresolved

How to Grow

Cultivation

Easy to grow in fertile, well-drained conditions, although not fully hardy; requires a sheltered, sunny position, in colder areas a south or west-facing wall would suit

Propagation

Propagate by softwood cuttings in early summer or semi-hardwood cuttings in late summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Patio and container plants
Coastal
Low Maintenance
Wall side borders

Pruning

Pruning group 8. May need hard pruning ( Pruning group 6 ) every 3 to 4 years

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus