Weigela florida Milk and Honey

Weigela 'Milk and Honey' is a new, bright and refined variety with an upright habit and moderate growth, perfect for bringing life to partially shaded beds, even in small gardens. It charms with its beautifully variegated foliage of yellow and bright green, which turns red and yellow in autumn, as well as its abundant white summer flowering. This elegant shrub can be planted in ordinary but moist soil in a sunny, countryside-inspired or romantic bed, or even in a small flowering hedge or a large pot on the terrace.

Originally from northern China, Japan, and Korea, Weigela florida is a deciduous shrub belonging to the Caprifoliaceae family. This calcicolous (preferring calcareous soils) shrub has a fibrous and spreading root system, which is perfect for transplantation. The 'Milk and Honey' cultivar, from which it originates, has a compact and upright habit and quickly forms a bush 1.5 m (5 ft) tall and 1 m (3 ft) wide. Its funnel-shaped white flowers are produced abundantly. They are borne on corymbs at the ends of the current year's branches and bloom from May to June. Its irregularly variegated light green and yellow foliage is composed of sessile, pubescent, ovate to elliptical leaves that turn a beautiful golden-yellow with red variegation before falling in autumn. The branches of this shrub are arched and have two rows of hairs.

Hardy down to -20 °C (-4 °F), Weigela 'Milk and Honey' thrives in gently sunny or partially shaded positions to protect its foliage from sunburn, in a moist but well-drained soil. Its arching and compact habit makes it a graceful shrub, whose abundant and candid flowering enhances the charm of its variegated foliage. In a bed, for example, you can pair it with Galega, variegated dogwoods, ornamental brambles, or Physocarpus. In the background, the very dark foliage of hollies, boxwoods, or yews will create a dark backdrop for its bright foliage and provide winter appeal. You can also grow this weigela in a pot on the terrace, train it on a small trellis, or plant it in the centre of a bed of nepetas and columbines in a small garden to attract attention.