Weigela Black and White

The Weigela 'Black and White' is a relatively recent dwarf variety. This beautiful bush with a rather spreading habit will reach a height of about 60 cm (23.6 in) with a spread of 80 cm: it will therefore be a great choice for small spaces or for container gardening. It combines dark green-purple foliage with bright, ivory white trumpet-shaped flowers that taper to red at their base. Elegant even in its compact habit, this plant will bring a trendy and original touch to the foreground of a border or in a pot on the terrace or balcony.

The Weigela 'Black and White' was obtained in 2009 by the INRA of Angers. Weigelas are Asian and belong to the caprifoliaceae family, just like honeysuckles. This innovative variety received the Bronze Medal at PLANTARIUM 2009 (Boskoop - NETHERLANDS).

It is a low bushy shrub with a rather spreading and compact growth habit. It eventually forms a ramified bush with arched branches, reaching a height of about 60 cm (23.6 in) with a spread of 80 cm. Its deciduous foliage is composed of lanceolate leaves, slightly undulate, which have a very dark colour, a dark green tinged with purple and chocolate during flowering. Its funnel-shaped flowers, produced abundantly in May-June, are carried in corymbs at the ends of the branches. They are ivory white, becoming pink-purple at their base. This flowering is also nectar-bearing. The autumn foliage, also very ornamental, is a purple-red colour.

Hardy down to -20°C (-4 °F), the Weigela 'Black and White' thrives in sunny or semi-shady positions, in a moist but well-drained soil. Its graceful, spreading and compact habit makes it an elegant shrub, and the contrast between its almost black foliage and its white flowers gives it a unique personality. In a border, for example, you can give it companions such as variegated dogwoods, a small almost white willow (Salix rosmarinifolia or Repens 'Nitida'), a golden-leaved spirea (Spiraea 'Tor Gold') or a white and massive-flowering spirea (Spiraeae vanhouttei), or a compact Viburnum 'Bailey Compact'. In the background, the dark green foliage of hollies, boxwoods, or yews will provide a beautiful backdrop for its contrasting colours and ensure the winter scenery. You can also plant this weigela in a container to decorate the terrace, or plant it as a standalone to attract attention in small gardens.