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Ask a Gardening QuestionBeginner Gardening Questions & Guides: First time gardener questionsIs this a Weigela?

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Is this a Weigela?

#1 · 18th May 2023, 11:48 am

Hi all

Does anyone know what these are called please thank you x

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#2 · 19th May 2023, 7:54 am

Hi @lynnem1

Thats a Weigela! A great easy care shrub that provides usually pink blooms which bees love. Its from the family Caprifoliaceae and Weigela grows to 1–5 m tall.

Where to grow Weigela?

Weigela needs the following conditions.

Full sun
Free draining soil
Enough space to flop and sprawl
Neutral soil (nothing too acidic or alkaline)
Can be grown in containers to reduce their vigor as they are quite fast growing

Pruning Weigela

Prune Weigela directly after flowering in early summer. Using clean sharp secateurs.

Around July here in the UK. Always cut back to an outward facing bud.

My only niggle with them as a shrub are that they soon look limp and leggy. As they produce so many flowers their branches can soon become very over heavy. It's just part of their shape and habit. Pruning can help to a degree but you just need to give them space to 'flop out'.

They are super easy to propagate from cuttings too. Check out my guide here on how to take soft wood cuttings of Weigela. The image below shows a 2 year old cutting already as a small shrub. It would be far bigger in the ground but I ran out of space for it!!