Abelia x grandiflora Psykedelik

Abelia Psykedelik® 'Minabtc16' is a small bush that doesn't go unnoticed. Its tricolour leaf – green, cream and pink – which turns bright red in full sun, remains attractive for much of the year, even in winter in mild climates. In containers or borders, it enhances small spaces, brightens up edges and decorates terraces. Hardy down to –15 °C, it thrives in light, well-drained soil, in sunny positions. It is easy to grow, but it appreciates sheltered situations in cold climates.

Abelia Psykedelik belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family. It is a cultivar of Abelia × grandiflora, a natural hybrid between Abelia chinensis and Abelia uniflora. It was selected in France by Minier Nurseries, under the code name 'Minabtc16'. This variety was specifically developed for the stability of its variegated leaf and its compact development, well-suited to container cultivation.
This variety forms a bush with a dense, rounded and naturally balanced habit. In open ground, the plant reaches on average 80 cm in all directions. In containers, it will be between 40 and 60 cm, depending on the size of the container and the care provided. 
The summer flowering spreads from June to September, with numerous small tubular, white to slightly pinkish flowers, grouped in terminal cymes. They emit a light fragrance and are frequently visited by bees and butterflies.
The leaf is composed of small, elliptical, opposite, 2 to 5 cm long leaves. It changes colour over the weeks: the young shoots are cream and pink in spring, the leaf is green edged with cream in summer, then bright red in full sun in autumn. This leaf is semi-evergreen to evergreen in winter: the leaves persist in mild climates, but may partially fall in colder or windy climates.

With its tricolour leaf and large cushion-like appearance, Abelia Psykedelik® integrates easily into contemporary gardens, on urban terraces or in more natural compositions. Plant it in containers to dress up the terrace or highlight the line of a path, in open ground in a large colourful border or to liven up a somewhat plain border. You can pair it with ornamental grasses like Pennisetum alopecuroides 'Hameln' or Carex testacea ‘Prairie Fire’. But also with the light blooms of Gauras or Erigeron karvinskianus. In mild climates, it will accompany lavenders or small rockroses, in a more Mediterranean composition.