Scientific: Abelia x grandiflora
Common: glossy abelia
Family: Caprifoliaceae
Origin: Hybrid of two species from China (Abelia
chinensis and Abelia uniflora)
Pronounciation: A-BEEL-lee-a gran-di-FLOR-a
Hardiness zones
Sunset 5-24
USDA 7 (freezes to ground each year), 8 (deciduous), 9
(semi-evergreen)-11 (evergreen)
Landscape Use: Mesic landscapes, graceful accent, foundation, informal screen, borders and landscape edging and containers (dwarf cultivars).
Form & Character: Inverted vase-like form ranging from rather large, gracefully spreading and arching to dwarf, rounded and compact depending on cultivar, generally informal, old fashioned.
Growth Habit: Deciduous to evergreen, woody perennial shrub, growth rate depends on cultivar ranging from slow to moderate, 2- to 10-feet tall, all with equal to slightly greater spread. Larger cultivars tend to grow arching and spreading stems.
Foliage/Texture: Opposite, glabrous, lanceolate dark green leaves to 1-inch long, sessile, brittle branches; medium fine texture.
Flowers & Fruits: Clusters of white to pink tubular, bell- shaped flowers, terminal and axillary, small to 1/2-inch long, 1/4-inch wide, pink flower bracts; fruits inconspicuous.
Seasonal Color: White to rosy pink flowers in summer and early autumn (much of the year in warmer climates), pinkish-red sepals, and brilliant yellow, orange to scarlet red fall foliar color in colder climates.
Temperature: Tolerant
Light: Full to partial sun, no reflected western sun in Phoenix.
Soil: Somewhat tolerant of soil alkalinity (soil pH up to 8.2).
Watering: Regular irrigations throughout the year (most heavily during summer) are required in desert areas.
Pruning: Dwarf and semi-dwarf forms do not need to be pruned at all. If necessary, it is best to severe renewal prune larger forms once a year in late winter to control plant size.
Sage advice: Do not shear large cultivars of glossy abelia! This practice will destroy its graceful form. Though I know from years of observation that this sage advice will not be understood by the 'Horticultural Clods of Phoenix' (aka 'Hort clods') because in reality shearing landscape shrubs (and blowing clouds of soil around with gas-powered leaf blowers) is all they know how to do.
Propagation: Mostly by cutting, some seed.
Disease and Pests: None
Additional comments: Glossy abelia is a serviceable mesic shrub with a wonderful floral accent. Today, it is infrequently seen in Phoenix landscapes because 1) its non-conformist, graceful and spreading informal habit does not conform to the common blocky landscape look and 2) Phoenix landscape sustainability is often defined narrowly by 'policy makers' as being mostly about water conservation, desert-adapted and native landscape plants, and inorganic surface mulches such as decomposing granite and gravel.
There are many outstanding glossy abelia cultivars including:
