Abelia grandiflora - Abelia with large flowers

Abelia (x) grandiflora is undoubtedly the most well-known of all abelias, due to its highly ornamental appearance for a good part of the year, as well as its ease of cultivation. This beautiful bush with its glossy foliage goes to great lengths to stay beautiful all year round. It has a flexible habit, with a long and abundant white and mauve flowering that perfumes a whole area of the garden. In autumn, it reveals a rich coat of russet bracts crowning foliage that has turned pinkish-purple. All these qualities make it an excellent hedge bush suitable for many gardens. Hardy down to short frosts of -12° C (10.4° F), not demanding on soil type, and resistant to drought, it only requires a little cleaning in late winter.

Abelia (x) grandiflora is a bush of the Caprifoliaceae family. This hybrid is the result of cross-breeding between Abelia chinensis, native to temperate China, and Abelia uniflora, which comes from eastern China. This vigorous and hardy bush has a rounded habit, a little wider than it is tall. With a moderately fast growth rate, it will easily reach a height of 2.5 m (8.2 ft) with a spread of 3 m (9.8 ft). Abelia offers a long fragrant flowering that lasts throughout the summer, from July to September-October, when few bushes are in bloom. Its numerous small funnel-shaped corollas, ranging from white-pink to mauve, are gathered in terminal panicles. These flowers, 2 cm (0.8 in) long, are composed of 2 to 5 sepals. As the flowers fade, they give way to beautiful calyxes composed of rust-coloured bracts, which are very decorative against the autumn foliage. The formed fruits are called achenes and contain only one seed. The arching branches of Abelia bear semi-evergreen glossy foliage that is dark green until summer. The leaves, 5 cm (2 in) long, are ovate and more or less dentate. Under the effect of the first cool nights, they take on a purplish hue, tinged with dark pink, and remain for a long time on the branches.

This Abelia can be planted both in groups with other bushes and as a standalone. You can plant it in flower beds as well as in free or trimmed hedges. It can be chosen as a companion in a flowering hedge with Kolkwitzia amabilis, Deutzia, Syringa microphylla 'Superba', bush roses with single flowers, or even Buddleia alternifolia 'Argentea'. It is also suitable for cultivation in very large pots.