ABELIAS MAKE AN IMPRESSION
New glossy, variegated varieties join must-have list for showy blooms
Abelias make my list of must-have plants for the spring garden. They are real performers. I have tested ‘Kaleidoscope’ and ‘Miss Lemon’ from the Southern Living Plant Collection. They’ve been nothing but stunning.
Now I am plant lusting, if you will, over ‘Confetti.’ This abelia, which also is part of the collection, is compact yet vigorous with shades of hot pink, creamy white and green. It is unbelievably cold-hardy and is recommended from zones 5-9.
Sadly, many people have never heard of an abelia. Others have only experience ‘Edward Goucher,’ a variety that is pretty doggone good. But these new varieties, with glossy variegated foliage, thrill — even without the blooms.
‘Kaleidoscope,’ for instance, produces foliage that is glossy and variegated. In the garden, its leaves look like they are ever-changing, in shades of green, golden-yellow, red and orange; it offers year-round interest. It reaches 36-inches tall with a 4-foot spread and is environmentally friendly due to its pest-free nature.
Abelias bloom almost nonstop, producing lightly fragrant, funnelshaped flowers that have proven to bring in swallowtail butterfly species,
honeybees and hummingbirds.
The colorful foliage and arching habit makes the abelia a nice contrast to evergreens.
At the Coastal Georgia Botanical Gardens, we planted ours among the ‘Soft Caress’ mahonia and spreading yew; others look picturesque in front of Canary Island date palms and Chinese snowball viburnum.
Whichever abelias you choose, consider planting in odd-numbered clusters in full to part sun. Prepare the bed by incorporating 3 to 4 inches of organic matter and 2 pounds of a 12-6-6 fertilizer per 100 square feet of planting area, tilling deeply.
Dig the planting hole two to three times as wide as the rootball but no deeper. Place the abelia in the hole and backfill with soil to two-thirds the depth. Tamp the soil and water to settle, add the remaining backfill, repeat the process and apply mulch. The wide holes allow for the quickest acclimation to your bed.
After your plants are established, there is not much required. Feed in late winter with a light application of a slowrelease 12-6-6 fertilizer equaling about 1 pound per 100 square feet of planted area. Even though it is considered to have a dry to average moisture requirement, maintaining an even supply of water during prolonged dry spells pays dividends, as it makes for an incredible showy plant.
‘Kaleidoscope,’ ‘Confetti’ and ‘Miss Lemon’ are among the showiest selections you will find at the garden center. Keep your eyes open for ‘Radiance,’ which is brand-new to the Southern Living Plant Collection group. It’s also compact and vigorous with variegated foliage and crimson stems.