Weigela Red Prince

Weigela 'Red Prince' resembles the famous cultivar 'Bristol Ruby', from which it differs by a smaller size and larger flowers. With a graceful, slightly arching habit, this bush transforms from late spring into a fountain loaded with intensely red bell-shaped flowers, slightly fragrant, that fade elegantly. This hybrid variety often reblooms in late summer. Its radiant tone is enhanced by thick, wavy foliage of a beautiful bright green colour. All its qualities have earned it the 'Palme d'Or' of the plant world, an Award of Garden Merit given by the Royal Horticultural Society in England.

Weigelas are Asian, originating from northern China, Japan and Korea, and belong to the Caprifoliaceae family, just like honeysuckles. Weigelia 'Red Prince' is a calcicolous bush (preferring limestone soils), with a moderately fast growth rate, possessing a fibrous and tracing root system that tolerates transplantation perfectly. It has a fairly compact, slightly spreading habit, and eventually forms a ramified bush with trailing branches about 1.25m (4ft 1in) high and 1.40m (4ft 7in) wide, sometimes more depending on the growing conditions. Its funnel-shaped flowers, larger than the type and larger than those of 'Bristol Ruby', measuring 4 to 5cm (1.6 to 2in) long, are a very bright carmine red, slightly lighter in the centre, enhanced by a white style that protrudes from the corolla. They are carried in corymbs, at the ends of the previous year's branches, and bloom abundantly from May to June, then more sporadically in summer. Its deciduous foliage is composed of dark green, sessile leaves, pubescent on the underside, with an oval shape. The lamina, toothed at the edges, of a light green colour and with a particularly wavy texture, turns yellow in autumn before falling.

Hardy down to -20°C, Weigela 'Red Prince' thrives in sunny or semi-shaded positions, in a ordinary, moist but well-drained soil. Its arching and dense habit makes it a highly ornamental bush, with abundant flowering in vibrant shades that bring life to any hedge. In a border, for example, you can give it companions such as Abelia, Cotoneaster, variegated Japanese Euonymus, Kerria japonica,  Viburnum carlesii, Mahonias, Hydrangea, variegated dogwoods, Spireas, ornamental brambles, or even a hedge honeysuckle. In the background, the very dark foliage of hollies or yews will provide a beautiful setting for its generous flowering and ensure the winter scenery.