About

A spreading, mat-forming, herbaceous perennial to about 15cm tall from southeastern Australia with small, ovate, slightly toothed, mid-green leaves and upward-facing, broadly bell-shaped, deep violet-blue flowers in summer. The royal bluebell of Australia, a spectacular alpine species for cool, moist, well-drained conditions in a rock garden.

About the 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

Growing conditions

SunlightFull sun, Partial shade
Soil typeChalk, Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Alkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained, Well-drained
AspectNorth-facing, West-facing, East-facing, South-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH6

Plant details

Plant typeShrubs
HabitBushy
FoliageDeciduous
Height1-1.5 metres
Spread1-1.5 metres
Time to full height5-10 years
Suggested usesCoastal, City and courtyard gardens, Cottage and informal garden
Native toN China, Japan

Care notes

CultivationEasy to grow in most moist but well-drained fertile soils in sun or partial shade
PruningPruning group 2. Responds well to hard renovative pruning
PropagationPropagate by softwood cuttings in early summer, semi-hardwood cuttings in summer or hardwood cuttings in late autumn and winter
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to leaf and bud eelworms, capsid bug and brown scale
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to honey fungus