The Wonderful World of Weigela

By Russell M. Gullo

The weigela of today looks little like the hedge you used to see at Grandma’s house. Once an old staple that fell out of favor,
weigela has made a resurgence, being one of the biggest beneficiaries of the recent boom in plant technology. In fact, Gullo’s
Garden Center carries 15 different varieties, ranging from pink to red to white to yellow blooms, and even to plants with three
different colors of blooms in one plant! Foliage ranges from dark, burgundy-purple, to green, to attractive variegated leaves.
Native to Asia, this very tough, hardy plant is named after German scientist Christian Ehrenfried Weigel. These are not the only
reasons to plant weigela, however. Weigela are:

• Insect and disease resistant
• Easy to grow
• One of the best plants for attracting hummingbirds and butterflies
• Long-blooming from late spring to summer and often re-blooms

 

Let’s take a closer look at some of these wonderful landscape plants.

 

Dwarf varieties:

Many people like the low-maintenance and ease of care of dwarf varieties. They require very little, if any pruning, wont get too
large for your space, and as is the case with all weigelas, do not require deadheading of the flowers.

 

My Monet Weigela

Inspired by and named after the French impressionist painter Claude Monet, this superstar plant is extremely popular, and for good
reason. Not only does it have beautiful pink, white, and green foliage, but its pink blooms are prolific and contrast perfectly
against the variegated backdrop. This plant has won many awards and requires no pruning, reaching heights of only 12″-18″.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Midnight Wine® Weigela

This plant is excellent for the front of beds. It grows to only 10″-12″ tall, so it will not block out plants behind it. Its dark burgundy-
purple foliage is attractive on its own, but appears even more stunning as a backdrop to the pink flowers that appear in late spring.
Midnight Wine® Weigela is an excellent alternative to thorny ‘Crimson Pygmy’ Barberry, which was recently placed on the NY state
invasive species list.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Date Night™ Tuxedo™ Weigela

With its compact form and striking contrast of abundant true-white bell-shaped flowers against dark foliage, Date Night™ Tuxedo™
brings a classy elegance to your outdoor space. It’s a product of the top weigela breeding program in the world, and an exceptional
performer. Reaching heights of only 2′-3′ tall, this plant is great in a variety of locations in the garden.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crimson Kisses™ Weigela

Bright, lipstick red flowers kissed with white eyes highlight this compact weigela that gets only 3′ tall. The blooms create a dramatic
show back-dropped against the dense green foliage. Crimson Kisses™ is renowned for its reblooming capabilities and will often have new
flowers late in the season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Czechmark Series varieties:

Czechmark® weigela are an exciting new series of improved plants developed in the Czech Republic. They feature unique characteristics
and lots of flower power.

 

Czechmark Sunny Side Up® Weigela

This new weigela is unique for its white flowers with cheery yellow centers. It blooms heavier than other weigela for a picture-perfect
show in late spring. Apple-green foliage makes for an attractive shrub when the plant is not in bloom. Low-maintenance, Czechmark
Sunny Side Up® will grow to 3′-4′ tall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Czechmark Trilogy^™ Weigela

Czechmark Trilogy^™ is an absolute dazzler that blooms in late spring with three colors at once – enjoy white, pink, and red flowers all
on one plant! There aren’t many other spring flowering shrubs that offer you so much color for so little effort. Low-maintenance, this
weigela requires little pruning and grows to 3′ in height.

Czechmark Twopink^® Weigela

Czechmark Twopink^™ represents the most incredible pink color on any weigela we’ve seen – every bloom is a rich deep pink that
creates a memorable late spring display, year after year after year. Low-maintenance, this weigela requires little pruning and
grows to 3′ in height.

 

 

Our Favorites:

 

Wine & Roses® Weigela

Slightly taller and great for the back of beds in foundation plantings, Wine & Roses® weigela are always a favorite here at Gullo’s
Garden Center. The contrast between the pink flowers and the rich, dark purple foliage is something to behold. This variety profusely
flowers in spring, and will re-bloom throughout the summer. The trumpet-like flowers are adored by hummingbirds!

Similar to the Wine & Roses® weigela but smaller, this is an excellent choice if you enjoy the look of Wine & Roses, but need
something smaller. It also has rich, dark purple foliage and pink blooms, but only gets 2′-3′ in height.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other Great Choices:

 

Minuet Weigela

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pink Princess Weigela

Spilled Wine® Weigela