Weigela x florida Rumba

Weigela 'Rumba' is a compact variety, very floriferous, flowering from June, and all summer until September. This bush is then covered with deep pink trumpet-shaped flowers, which stand out well against the green foliage. Suitable for beginner gardeners, the 'Rumba' Weigela is easy to grow, very hardy, adapts to most soils and grows in both full sun and partial shade. Stunning when planted alongside other ornamental plants in a mixed border, it can also be planted in a pot to enhance a terrace or balcony.

Named in honour of the German professor C.E. von Weigel, author of botanical works, Weigela is a member of the Caprifoliaceae family, like the Pheasant Berry (Leycesteria), Abelia, or Honeysuckle (Lonicera). The species Weigela florida is native to deciduous forests in northern China, including Manchuria, Korea, and Japan, which are hot in summer. It forms an upright bush that reaches a height of 3.50m and a greater width in mature specimens. This calcicolous bush (preferring limestone soils) has a fibrous and running root system, which is perfectly suited for transplantation. It has given rise, through hybridization with other Weigela species, to numerous horticultural varieties, including the cultivar 'Rumba'.

'Rumba' is a compact Weigela that reaches maturity (10 years) with a clump of 1m in height and 1.20m in spread. Its dense foliage consists of elliptical leaves with pointed tips, measuring approximately 6cm long and 3cm wide, in a beautiful bright green colour. From June onwards, trumpet-shaped flowers appear in large quantities on the branches, grouped in 3 or 4 at the axils of the leaves. Deep pink on the outer surface, lighter pink on the inside, they have five rounded petals, with a central pistil and white stamens. Measuring about 3cm long, the flowers literally cover the plant, attracting all attention, as well as butterflies that come to feed on them. The flowering period continues almost throughout the summer until September. While the bush tolerates partial shade, the flowering is more spectacular when planted in a sunny location.

Weigela 'Rumba' is an excellent choice for small gardens, as well as for the second row of a mixed border. You can plant perennials like the Harebell (Campanula rotundifolia) at its base, whose small charming blue bell-shaped flowers bloom at the same time, creating a cheerful colorful contrast. Similarly, the Columbine (Aquilegia), which blooms from May to July depending on the varieties, will offer you superb flowers in all the colors available in the plant range. Alongside your little Weigela 'Rumba', plant a Compact Forsythia 'Marée d'Or' that will extend the flowering period of your border by rewarding you with its bright yellow flowers early in the season. And in the background, nothing beats a Lagerstroemia 'Black Solitaire' with which you will create a magnificent scene, the almost black foliage contrasting with the green of 'Rumba', and the white flowers responding to the pink of your Weigela...