Editor Flowers and shrubs 7422

Weigela is an ornamental lush flowering shrub of the honeysuckle family. Its flowers in the form of bells of a wide variety of colors will delight you in early spring, in mid-May. Among ornamental shrubs, weigela is distinguished by a characteristic feature: the color of its inflorescences is fickle. Blooming corollas are pale at first, but gradually their color becomes more saturated.

Hardy and unpretentious shrub often planted to form a hedge. Despite the fact that the plant has a wide crown, it grows fairly evenly, so weigela pruning is not burdensome. In total, there are more than 15 species, whose homeland is East Asia and the Far East. Among them, the most common are: flowering weigela, early weigela, Middendorf weigela and hybrid weigela.

Main types and varieties

In Europe, flowering weigela is the most popular, which is a shrub whose height can reach 3 m. Its large flowers, 2.5–3 cm long, are connected into small inflorescences that bloom on short lateral shoots. The color of the corolla, dark pink at the edges and pale pink in the center, darkens as the flower wilts. As a rule, the shrub begins to bloom in late May - early June. The green leaves of the plant persist until late autumn. Weigela blooming is divided into several varieties:

• Variegata - the most frost-resistant garden form of weigela with no big leaves. Plant height and crown diameter - 2.5 m. Intense pink flowers Variegates are collected in brushes and reach 3.5 cm in diameter. For rocky gardens, a dwarf form is often used - Nana Variegata. This low shrub grows slowly and does not exceed 1 m;
• Alba is the tallest and most spreading shrub among this species. Its height reaches 3 m, and the diameter of the crown is 3.5 m. The white flowers of this variety turn pink as they fade. The color of the leaves is characterized by characteristic white speckles;
• Alexandra is a weigela variety with a compact crown. The height of the bush rarely exceeds 1.5 m. Its bright crimson flowers bloom in May. Among weigels, Alexandra stands out for her unusual crown color: her purple leaves persist until the first frost;
• Weigela Middendorf is an elegant shrub with ascending branches 1.5 m high. The flowers are pale yellow with a golden center, solitary or in small inflorescences. The leaves are green, pubescent along the veins on both sides. Weigela Middendorf blooms 2 times a year, for a month. It is planted under trees with a sparse crown or single and group shrubs are used to decorate the edges;
• Weigela early grows on rocky slopes in China and North Korea. A bush 1.5–2 m high has a spherical crown. Flowers solitary or connected in 2-3 buds per inflorescence. The bright pink color of the petals on the outside and purple-red inside looks very impressive. The shrub blooms from late May to early June, from 10 to 30 days. Weigela early is often used in landscape design to create hedges.

In horticulture, weigela hybrid will be used more often than its wild species. A picturesque shrub with a spreading crown looks great during flowering. Depending on the color of its flowers, weigela hybrid is divided into several varieties. Among them are:

• Bristol ruby ​​is a fast growing shrub reaching up to 3 m in height. It has a very wide crown with a diameter of up to 3.5 m. The shrub of the Bristol ruby ​​variety blooms profusely in June - July. Due to the numerous flowers with a rich dark red color, this variety of weigela is especially popular among gardeners and landscape designers;
• Eva Rathke is a hybrid weigela, the height of which usually does not exceed 1 m. The shrub, which has a sprawling crown up to 3 m, blooms in June - August. Its red brilliant flowers are collected in graceful inflorescences;
• Rosea is a variety of weigela, a distinctive feature of which are very large flowers of a pale pink hue, with a characteristic limb. A bush 1.5 m high tolerates winter better than all the listed varieties. Even in autumn, the plant looks picturesque, thanks to the variegated red leaves.

Planting and reproduction

The best time to plant weigela is from March to April. If you bought a shrub in the fall, do not rush to plant it on permanent place: the plant will not have time to take root and die. In this case, you should dig in the seedling, tilting it, and then cover the branches with earth. When buying a plant, it must be remembered that seedlings older than 3.5 years quickly adapt to new environmental conditions. When choosing a variety for planting, you need to focus not on its external data, but on climatic conditions in which weigela will grow. The most unpretentious and easy to care for are varieties such as Weigela Middendorf, Bristol ruby, Rosea and Variegata.

It is important to carefully choose a landing site. Weigela is a heat-loving plant that requires a lot of sunlight for normal growth. The territory for weigela should be protected from the wind, as it easily damages its fragile flowers. At the bottom of the landing pit, 0.5 m deep, a layer of sand or expanded clay should be laid out, about 15 cm thick. soil mixture should contain turf, sand and humus, in a ratio of 2:2:1. When planting, it must be borne in mind that weigela has a wide crown, so it is recommended to plant bushes no closer than 3 m from each other.

Weigela propagation is carried out in two ways: by seeds and cuttings. When using the first one, it should be remembered that its seeds have good germination for one year. At home, they are sown in containers in early spring, not forgetting to cover with foil. Seedlings usually germinate in 3 weeks. When the second pair of leaves is formed on the sprouts, the seedlings dive. When young plants get stronger, pots with them are taken out into the garden and placed under not too dense crowns of trees. A two-year-old seedling, as a rule, reaches 50 cm in height and is ready for planting in open ground. Reproduction of the shrub will not be difficult if the crumbled seeds from the boxes are left on the ground. In the spring, many of them will germinate and require the same care as home-grown seedlings. When propagating plants in this way, one should not forget that seeds collected from hybrids give heterogeneous offspring. In this regard, it is best to propagate the shrub by cuttings.

Propagation by cuttings is carried out in April - early May before budding. Young shoots of the shrub, which are just beginning to become woody, are divided into cuttings 10–15 cm long. At the same time, the cut is made straight, the leaves are completely removed or no more than a third is left. The cuttings are immersed in water for 2 hours, and then they are treated with a growth stimulator for 12 hours in a warm, dark room. After that, the cuttings are immersed in a mixture of peat and sand to a depth of 1 cm for rooting, covered with polyethylene. It is recommended to water the plant at least twice a day. At proper care roots will appear in a month. When propagating weigela in this way, young plant transferred to a permanent place after a year and a half.

Care and preparation for winter

The shrub is quite unpretentious and does not require special care. Weigela does not tolerate soil compaction. Therefore, after each watering, it is recommended to loosen it. In the absence of this possibility, the ground should be covered with sawdust. Watering is done once a week with warm water. Particularly important when caring for a shrub is the regular application of top dressing. Like any plant, weigela requires fertilizers for normal growth and development, which are applied 2 times a year. The first top dressing is carried out in March - April: it is then that the shrub needs nitrogen-containing and complex mineral fertilizers to stimulate its growth. The second top dressing is required during the budding period. For her use organic fertilizers prolonging abundant flowering. If top dressing was done at planting, then no fertilizer is required for the next few years.

In the care of shrubs, pruning plays an important role. In the first years of his life, only dry and weak branches are removed in early spring.

In the future, they produce a crown-forming care, in the middle of summer, after flowering, until the bush has given new shoots. Also, every three years, old branches are cut to stimulate the growth of new shoots. This will protect the plant from diseases, the spores of which are contained in the old bark, and rejuvenate the shrub.

In preparation for the winter season, the plant requires additional care. In the first years of growth, it is especially susceptible to frost. This applies primarily to heat-loving varieties characterized by low frost resistance, such as Bristol ruby ​​and weigela pleasant. In November, when all the leaves fall, it is necessary to sprinkle trunk circle straw or dry leaves. The height of the resulting mound should be at least 20 cm. The branches of the shrub are tied and bent to the ground, covered with burlap or modern material - spunbond. Over the years, the frost resistance of weigela increases significantly. Even after severe damage to the shoots by frost, the shrub is fully restored, retaining the ability to bloom. With proper care, weigela will delight with its colors for many years.

Everyone dreams of having a piece of paradise where you can hide from the whole world. For most, this is the cottage. And in order to make a truly heavenly place out of a garden plot, you can plant an ornamental plant that bears the exotic name of weigela. Gardeners have been interested in it for a long time. This is primarily due to the fact that this representative of the flora does not require special care. A variety of varieties will make your site bright and unique.

Landing and care

Weigela blooming is quite unpretentious. In order for it to please the eye, you need to choose a sunny place for landing. Partial shade is also suitable. A prerequisite is the absence of wind. It is worth considering that in the shade of the weigel it will not bloom as much as in the sun. When choosing a place, you need to take into account the type of soil. First of all, it must be waterproof. A very good option is calcareous soil. After the necessary site is selected, we organize a recess, after loosening the soil. It must be done with the swinging movements of the shovel. It remains to place the stalk prepared in advance in the ground. In this case, you need to make sure that the oblique cut is in the ground, and the kidney, which is located at the very top of the cutting, is on the surface. When landing, you need to use sand, sod land and humus in a ratio of 1:2:2. A feature of the landing is the obligatory presence of a layer of crushed stone with a thickness of 10 to 20 centimeters. The most suitable acidity for weigela is 6-6.5 pH. Until the plant gains strength and gets stronger, it needs watering.

All plants require fertilizer, including weigela. The shrub needs to be fed twice, and the first one even before the snow melts. To do this, you need to use 10 g of superphosphate, 20 g of urea, 10 g of potassium sulfate. It is recommended to feed the weigela a second time at the beginning of summer, when buds are formed (use 30 grams double superphosphate and the same amount of potassium sulfate).

reproduction

Weigela is especially attractive, the reproduction of which does not require special skills, for its survival. A shrub can be grown from a seed, a cutting, or by digging a branch into the ground. When propagating by cuttings, it is necessary to choose an annual shoot and make an oblique cut 10 centimeters above the ground. Then it needs to be cut into pieces. The length of each of them should be 20 centimeters and contain at least 2 kidneys. When planting and in the first 4 days after that, the plant needs abundant watering. An adult specimen can do without additional water if it rains. In their absence, it is necessary to water the weigel once a week.

Features of care

Be sure to loosen, mulch with a layer of earth, the thickness of which is 5 centimeters, and trim. Loosening is necessary to get rid of weeds. Weigela pruning is carried out in the spring. Remove branches affected by winter frosts. It is also necessary to prune once every two years after flowering. This shrub will not only please the eye, but will also play the role of a hedge.

Varieties

Weigela has a wonderful color and aroma. Varieties surprise with their diversity, not to mention the quantity garden forms. Let's consider them in more detail.

Weigela hybrid

This shrub has extraordinary beauty. It has a large crown, which varies in diameter from 1 to 2.5 m, with magnificent flowers. Weigela is able to bloom twice a year, which makes it very attractive for use in landscape design. This plant loves light, loose soil and open space. It can't stand the wind. In severe frosts, the hybrid weigela needs to be covered.

garden forms

• Will make any garden area bright and attractive bright red Weigela Bristol Ruby. Its flowers resemble bells in shape, they form beautiful inflorescences of 4-5 pieces. Their diameter reaches 5 centimeters. The combination of rich red flowers and bright greenery will not leave anyone indifferent. This type of plant is resistant to frost. Weigela, unpretentious to soils (reproduction will not be difficult) will decorate the garden. Place for Bristol Ruby can be chosen both in the shade and in the sun. The main flowering period falls at the beginning of summer (for the first two months). This plant can please with repeated flowering. However, like all other species, weigela Bristol Ruby does it the second time less abundantly, and its flowers are concentrated on the tops. Every year, the shrub grows both in height and in width (by 20-30 centimeters). Weigela Bristol Ruby will please the eye for an average of 50 years. The size of an adult shrub reaches three meters in height. The formed crown has a diameter of 3.5 meters.

• Weigela Gustave Mallet. Buds of marvelous pink color with a white border will attract the attention of even those passers-by who do not consider themselves to be flower growers. This variety of weigela will please the eye during the period from the end of May to the beginning of June (15-20 days). The flower reaches five centimeters in diameter, and the height of an adult shrub is two and a half meters.
• Weigela Eva Rathke. This variety was bred in Poland. Unlike many others, he is undersized. The height of the plant reaches only one meter. The red flower changes its hue from more saturated on the outside to delicate on the inside. This gives it a special charm. The leaves, whose length varies from 6 to 10 centimeters, are elliptical in shape. The highlight of Eva Rathke (the plant will delight in flowering in late July and early August) are brilliant flowers. This variety is not frost-resistant, so it is better for him to spend the winter under cover. Weigela Eva Rathke grows quite quickly, and the diameter of the crown of an adult shrub can reach three meters.

• Weigela Looymansii Aurea. This variety is undersized. Its peculiarity is the leaves, the color of which is yellow in early summer. And only after a while they become green. The length of the leaf varies from 5 to 8 centimeters. During flowering, and it happens in the spring, the crown of the shrub is covered with pink flowers. Weigela Looymansii Aurea does not apply to unpretentious varieties. It does not tolerate heat, so when choosing a landing site, you need to stop in partial shade. The shrub also does not tolerate frost well. Fertile and moist soils are suitable for it.

Weigela profusely flowering

It is a shrub characterized by large elliptical leaves. Their length reaches ten centimeters, and the height of the weigela itself is three meters. The leaves have several features. First, they have serrated edges. Secondly, those on the tops have a straight shape, and those that are located closer to the bottom of the shrub are lowered to the ground. Blooming buds are painted in rich red. Over time, it becomes a soft pink. The flower itself reaches three centimeters in diameter and slightly descends. This variety is frost-resistant and demanding on the soil. It has curved branches and is a charming flowering shrub. Weigela during the flowering period is strewn with buds of rich red and pink flowers. This type can be used not only as decorative hedge. The paths along which the profusely flowering weigela grows will look advantageous. Also, the shrub will decorate the trees, acting as an edge. There are also decorative form. It has fairly large buds of red with shades of brown.

Weigela early

This species is distinguished by a significant density of leaves having the shape of an ellipse. Their length reaches seven centimeters. The shape is serrated. The height of the shrub is two meters. The color of the bark varies from light brown to gray. If we talk about young shoots, then they are reddish. During flowering, the early weigela is strewn with inflorescences of a maximum of three pink buds. The flowering period lasts a month. And only at the end of September the leaves turn yellow, and in last days October will fall.

Weigela cannot be classified as frost-resistant, so it must be covered for the winter. When landing, it is better to choose a sunny place. It can be planted alone or in combination with other shrubs. Early weigela is undemanding to the ground. It can be transplanted without damage to the plant.

• Weigela early Variegata. This shrub is neither tall nor short ( mature plant reaches one or two meters in height). The leaves have an unusual color. They have yellow spots. Cream and pink flowers are simply mesmerizing. The owner of the amazing beauty of the weigela variegata blooms in May.

garden variety

it undersized shrub, the leaves of which resemble the shape of an egg. Their length reaches 10 centimeters. The flowers are like bells, they delight the eye from late May to early July. Leaves change color in October. For the winter, the garden weigela does not always have time to drop them, so sometimes it experiences cold weather with leaves. It is frost and drought tolerant. When planting, choose a sunny location. You can plant both singly and in groups.

A tall shrub whose young shoots have two rows of hairs. The color of the shoots varies from brown to gray. The leaves are elliptical in shape with serrated edges. Bright pink flowers gather in inflorescences and delight the eye in late May and early June. The entire flowering period is 3 weeks.

Blooming weigela is unpretentious to the landing site, but it is afraid of frost. Therefore, it must be covered for the winter. The advantage is the ability to recover quickly. Regarding the ground, she also has preferences. It should be fertile and moist, without stagnant water. If you give her a little time and attention, then the blooming weigela, the photo of which is presented below, will transform the backyard area.

garden forms

• Weigela Purpurea. undersized variety with red leaves in the shape of an ellipse and pink flowers with a yellow center. The height of an adult shrub does not exceed 1.5 m, and the diameter of the crown is 2 m. The flowering period falls on the first two summer months. This variety grows quite slowly, but it is characterized by increased resistance to frost. Despite this, it is desirable to cover it for the winter.

• Weigela Alba. This is not just a short, but a dwarf weigela. The shrub can grow both in the sun and in partial shade. Flowers open from white buds that turn pink. The leaves of this shrub have a specific color. They have white dots on them.

• Weigela Variegata. Of all flowering species this one is especially cold hardy. Its leaves are small. Their length does not exceed five centimeters. An adult bush has a height of 2 meters, and a crown diameter of 2.5 m. Bright pink flowers with a diameter of up to three and a half centimeters are collected in inflorescences. At the base of each of them are leaflets.

• Weigela Nana Variegata. An undersized species with a crown diameter of 1.5 meters. The leaves are adorned with a yellow border, and the flowers emerge from crimson buds. They decorate the shrub, gathered in inflorescences.

Weigela blooming Nana Variegata loves stony soils.

• pink poppet. Dwarf weigela, whose thick crown resembles a ball. It has an unusual oblong leaf shape with serrated edges. Gorgeous pink weigela will please flowering in late spring and early autumn. When choosing a place, you need to consider that this variety prefers fertile soils and the sun.

Blooming weigels love light. Only a few species do well in slightly shaded areas. You also need to avoid winds that damage not only flowers, but also leaves.

Conclusion

Based on the foregoing, we can conclude that weigela, whose varieties surprise with their diversity, - perfect option to create a piece of paradise.

Weigela belongs to the deciduous shrubs of the Honeysuckle family. The plant is native to China and Japan. Experts count about 15 types of weigel. The name of the plant was in honor of the German scientist Weigel. The deciduous shrub was discovered in the 19th century.

Weigela is an amazing shrub that blooms from May to June, and then from August to September.
If you look at the photo of the weigela, you can see a chic sprawling rose bush.

Weigela will look great at their summer cottage or in park area. Inflorescences are first pale in color, then darken.

Planting and care in the open field

Weigela loves sunlight and tolerates light partial shade, you need to take this into account when planting.
The plant is protected from gusts of wind from all sides. It is best to use a three-year-old weigela for planting. Bushes are planted at a distance of 1.5 meters from each other.

Weigela is planted at a depth of 0.5 meters.

Daygela is a very capricious shrub that may not take root in autumn. Shrub likes well-drained fertile soils, does not tolerate moisture stagnation.

Weigela care

When watering, the weigela bush is loosened, sprinkled with sawdust or peat. Comprehensive mineral fertilizer applied in spring and before flowering. To accelerate growth, nitrogen fertilizers are used, flowering splendor is phosphorus-potassium. Fertilizer should dissolve with good watering.

The plant needs rejuvenating pruning every few years. Young shoots are cut in half in spring.

reproduction

seeds

When weigels are propagated by seeds, their germination lasts about a year. Fans breed weigela at home in flower pots under glass or film. A one-year-old weigela seedling has a length of 6 cm, a two-year-old 0.5 m. After the appearance of true leaves, the seedlings dive. Weigela needs to be grown in the summer at their summer cottage.

The plant has fibrous root system and spread rapidly underground. Varieties are best propagated vegetatively. Cuttings are carried out in the first half of summer before flowering.

cuttings

Weigela, propagated by cuttings in summer, blooms after 2 years of age. How is cutting carried out?

For cuttings, slightly lignified young shoots are used. They should consist of one internode and several leaflets.

Summer cuttings

• Step 1. Weigela leaves are removed half or completely.
• Step 2. The cuttings are placed in water for several hours, dipped in root, kept for half a day in a dark room.
• Step 3 Planting cuttings of the plant is carried out in the second half of June. The soil should include sand and peat. The weigela stalk should be in the ground at a depth of about 1 cm. The young stalk is covered and watered several times a day.

Winter cuttings

Cuttings, 20 cm long, are also cut in April before the leaves open.

• Step 1. Peat and sand are poured into the pots in a 1: 1 ratio. Planting material is treated with root.
• Step 2. After a month, pinching is done, and top dressing is applied.

Winter cuttings are not as effective as summer cuttings.

Weigela and landscape design

Weigela bushes are used both in solitary plantings and in groups. Weigela will look great with gray spirea, Japanese, Van Gutta, willow.

The spreading crown of the shrub will be perfectly combined with the forms of forsythia intermediate, Japanese chaenomeles.

Types of weigela

Weigela Japanese. beautiful flowering shrub, about a meter high. The leaf plate is pointed at the top, pubescent. Inflorescences are scarlet, three-flowered, similar to bells. The fruit is dry.

Weigela is nice. Inflorescences are collected in funnels of pink-violet color. The size of the weigela shrub is 1.5 m x 1 m. Flowering lasts from mid-May to early July, re-blooms in late summer, early autumn.

Weigela early. The plant is native to China. Shrubs have a height of 2 m and nice shape ball. Flowers are either solitary or collected in 2-3 pieces. Inflorescences are bright pink, and inside are carmine red. Blooms in late spring-early summer.

Weigela blooming. Shrub with a diameter of 3.5 m, a height of about 3 m. Inflorescences are pale pink inside, raspberry outside.

"Purpurea". Shrub 1.5 m tall, leaves red with a brown tint. Blooms in summer. It needs to be covered for the winter.

"Alba". Shrub 3 m high, sprawling with white inflorescences. Requires shelter for the winter.

"Variegata". Plant height 2.5 m, graceful bright pink flowers are collected in inflorescences

Weigela hybrids

Weigela hybrid represents several crossed varieties, which are distinguished by color scheme and leaf shape. Hybrids are used in landscape design, as they are the most decorative.

Varieties weigel

Bristol Ruby. Sufficiently tall bushes about 3 m. Dark pink inflorescences, dark green leaves, collected in bunches.

"Eva Rathke". The hybrid comes from Poland. The bush is 2 × 3 m in size. The inflorescences are red.

"Weigela Rosea". Shrubs with large pink flowers 1.5 m high. This weigela is also decorative in autumn - the leaves turn scarlet.

Weigela photo

The weigela plant (lat. Weigela) was named after Christian Ehrenfried von Weigel, a German botanist, chemist, and pharmacologist. In the natural environment, the plant can be found in the southeast, east of Asia, on Far East, the island of Java.

Weigela is a deciduous shrub with erect stems belonging to the Honeysuckle family. The genus consists of 15 species, 7 of which, together with 10 varieties, are cultivated. Petiolate oval-shaped leaves have serrated edges, are located oppositely, painted in green color, may have a beige border.

Bell-shaped or funnel-shaped flowers reach a length of 5 cm, are located singly or are collected in loose inflorescences. The color of the corolla as it blooms from a dull shade turns into a more saturated one, it can be yellow, cream, pink, burgundy red and other colors. Flowering occurs twice a year: mid-May-mid-June, late August-late September, the second bloom is less lush.

Weigela loves moisture, shade-tolerant, easy to care for and reproduce.

When and how to plant weigela

Note that the article considers the conditions middle lane, including the Moscow region. In order for the plant to take root well, it is best to plant in the spring, when the soil has not warmed up much yet, and the buds have not begun to swell. Planting in the fall most often leads to death - the plant does not have time to get stronger before the onset of cold weather.

The ideal place would be the south side on a slight elevation, since warmth and warmth contribute to the abundance of flowering. bright lighting. When landing in another place, protection against strong gusts winds and drafts, due to which the buds may fall.

The soil needs loose, fertile: loamy, sandy loam with a neutral or slightly alkaline reaction. Weigela middendorffiana species also grows well on slightly acidic peat soils.

Should be dug landing pit about 30-40 cm deep. If the soil is poor, deepen another 10 cm to lay a fertile layer (1.5 buckets of compost) with fertilizers (100 g of nitrophoska). Lay a drainage layer about 15 cm thick on the bottom, consisting of coarse sand, then, if necessary, lay a nutrient layer (compost with fertilizer).

For the best, treat the roots of seedlings with a growth accelerator. For tall species (up to 2.5 m tall), it is necessary to keep a distance of 1.5-2 m between plantings; for undersized species (up to 1 m tall), place them at a distance of 80 cm from each other. Straighten the roots, place the seedling in the planting hole, fill the soil gradually, tamp each layer. Water thoroughly after planting. The root neck should be flush with the soil surface or a maximum of a couple of centimeters deeper. Mulch the trunk circle.

How to care for weigela in the garden

Watering and loosening

Moderate required. Mulch around the trunk will help keep the soil moist. In dry weather, water more abundantly. In the spring, if the shoots are very frozen, it is necessary to add 8-10 liters of water under each bush.

In order not to damage the root system of the plant, gently loosen the soil, deepening by 5-8 cm, remove weeds.

top dressing

If during planting you made nitrophoska and compost, the next top dressing should be carried out in the 3rd year of life. To stimulate growth in early spring, apply a complex of mineral fertilizers containing nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. When the weigela begins to form buds (end of May-beginning of June), add superphosphate and potassium sulfate - flowering will be more lush, the stems will become stronger. For autumn digging, add wood ash (for each square meter 200 g of ash) or Kemira autumn fertilizer.

Young bushes need sanitary pruning: in early spring, remove frozen, broken, weak branches, thin out the bush a little.

pruning

Formative spend for adult plants: after flowering, shorten the young shoots by half the length.

Every 3-4 years, rejuvenate the weigela: remove all branches that are more than 3 years old, shorten the rest by 1/3. You can cut off all the shoots completely - the plant will recover perfectly.

Pests and diseases

Caterpillars, aphids, thrips, spider mites – possible pests plants. First of all, treat with natural preparations that are gentle on the environment. Spray with an infusion of hot pepper, wormwood or garlic. In extreme cases, resort to treatment with insecticides purchased at a flower shop.

After planting, seedlings may wither, turn yellow. Most likely the roots are eaten by bears or larvae Maybug. The soil must be spilled with a solution of aktara or karbofos.

Weigela can be affected by diseases such as gray rot, rust, spotting. Treat the plant with Bordeaux mixture. For prevention, with the beginning of the appearance of leaves, treat with Topsin solution at a concentration of 3%.

Growing weigela from seeds

The plant is propagated by seeds and vegetatively.

Weigels retain good germination for about 1 year. Stronger, more viable plants grow from seeds, but varietal characteristics are lost, so seed propagation is suitable for obtaining a large number species seedlings. There is no need to grow seedlings. You can sow before winter (November) or spring (end of April).

Winged seeds sow superficially, sprinkle with sand. For the winter, it is necessary to prepare a shelter, which should be removed in the spring. Seedlings appear after 3 weeks.

Weigela propagation by cuttings and layering

In early spring, root cuttings from lignified last year's shoots. In the period from the end of May to the beginning of June, root cuttings from slightly lignified young shoots of the current year.

The length should be 10-15 cm. Remove lower leaves, shorten the upper ones by 1/2 of the length, treat the lower cut with a growth stimulator. Plant the cuttings in a wet sand-peat mixture, deepening by 1 cm, cover with a glass jar or plastic cap on top. Air daily, spray regularly. To stimulate bushiness, young shoots must be pinched.

In autumn, it can be propagated by layering. The lowest shoot must be bent to the ground, at the place of contact with the soil, make an incision in the bark, sprinkle with earth. In the spring, separate the seedling from the mother plant and transplant.

How to collect seeds

Seed boxes open on their own, so it is advisable to wrap several pieces with gauze so that their contents do not spill out onto the ground. Do this from mid-October, and in November, cut off the boxes along with gauze, gently shake the seeds onto a newspaper and dry them in a warm room with good ventilation. Place the seeds in a paper bag and store in a dry, warm place.

Weigela shelter for the winter

Many do not know how weigela for the winter. Meanwhile, a good shelter allows you to save bushes not only in the conditions of the Moscow region, but also in the Leningrad region.

• After the leaves fall, sprinkle the near-stem circle with soil, forming a mound 15-20 cm high.
• Bend the branches to the ground, fix with staples, cover with roofing material.
• You can also pull the branches with twine or rope, mulch the near-trunk circle with dry leaves, build a frame, wrap the structure with non-woven material.

Popular types and varieties of weigela

Weigela early or weigela pleasant Weigela praecox

Bush spherical shape, reaching a height of 2 m. The leaves are pubescent. Flowers of a bright pink color with a yellowish-white throat are collected on lateral shoots in 2-3 pieces. The variegated variety is weigela variegated - yellow spots, which become creamy in summer, cover green leafy plates.

Weigela florida Weigela florida or blooming weigela

The pubescent shoots reach a length of 3 m. The leaves are serrate, petiolate, along the central vein on the surface sheet plate there is pubescence, the veins on the underside are completely pubescent. Inflorescences are painted in bright pink color.

Popular Shapes:

• Weigela purple (Weigela Purpurea) or weigela red - limited to a height of 1.5 m. The leaves are red-brown. The color of the corollas is pink with a yellow throat.
• Alba is a dwarf shrub with white flowers.
• Weigela florida Variegata - has small leaves and bright pink flowers. The most frost-resistant form.
• Weigela pink (Weigela florida Bunge) - the outer part of the corolla is painted in a pink-burgundy shade, inside it is pale pink, almost white.
• Weigela Victoria (Weigela florida Victoria) - bush 1 m high, red-brown leaves, crimson corollas.

Weigela hybrid Weigela hybrida

A sprawling shrub 1.5 m high. Flowers are singly or collected in loose inflorescences of 2-3 pcs. The color can be pink, white, purple, lilac, purple-red.

• Bristol Ruby - a bush 2.5-3 m high. The leaf plates are bright green. Pink flowers have a red-ruby throat.
• Red Prince (Red Prince) - sprawling bush with drooping shoots, height is 1.5 m. Flowers are red.
• Eva Rathke - compact bush reaches a height of 1.5 m. Reddish-pink corollas have a lighter inner surface.
• Rosea (Rosea) - the shoots are bent, reach a height of 1.5 m. The flowers are large, painted pink with white specks.
• Styriaca (Styriaca) - abundant flowering. Corollas 2.5-3 cm long have a pinkish color, by the end of flowering they become red-brown

Weigela Middendorffiana Weigela middendorffiana

Bush with ascending shoots 1-1.5 m high. Corollas 3-4 cm in diameter are painted yellowish, the throat is covered with orange spots.

Weigela Korean Weigela coraeensis

The bush reaches a height of 1.5 m. The shoots are bare. Leaves 12 cm long, broadly elliptical, glossy above, covered with sparse fluff below. As it blooms, the corollas turn from pale pink to maroon.

Weigela Maksimovich Weigela maximowiczii

The height of the bush is 1.5 m. The leaves are obovate. Large flowers of pale yellow color are arranged in 1-2 pieces.

Weigela floriferous Weigela floribunda

Reaches a height of 3 m. Petiolate leaves 10 cm long are rarely pubescent on the surface, the pubescence runs along the veins from the bottom of the leaf plate. At the first flowering, the flowers are dark red, and later - pinkish.

Weigela Japanese Weigela japonica

Grows up to 1 m in height. Elliptical leaves are slightly hairy. Dark pink flowers are collected in 3 pieces.

Weigela garden Weigela hortensis

Height is 1 m. Flowering is plentiful. Pinkish-burgundy flowers are collected in dense inflorescences.

Plant weigela (lat. Weigela) belongs to the genus of shrubs of the honeysuckle family. The name of the plant was given in honor of the German chemist, botanist and pharmacologist Christian Ehrenfried von Weigel. In nature, weigela flowers are common in east and southeast Asia, as well as on the island of Java and the Far East. The genus is estimated at fifteen species, but in culture, 7 species and about 10 highly ornamental varieties of weigela are most often grown, which are deciduous shrubs and have such advantages as beauty and ease of reproduction and care.

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Planting and caring for weigela (in short)

• Landing: March or April.
• Bloom: from mid-May for a month, re-flowering - in August-September.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• The soil: loose, fresh, moderately moist and rich in humus loamy or sandy loamy soil of slightly alkaline or neutral reaction.
• Watering: moderate watering only during the dry season.
• Top dressing: after fertilization during planting, the plant can not be fed for two years, then during the growing season three top dressings are carried out: in early spring with full mineral fertilizer, in early summer with potassium-phosphorus fertilizer, and for autumn digging - with wood ash.
• Pruning: young bushes are pruned only in early spring for sanitary purposes, sanitary pruning is done for adults in the spring, and shaping pruning is done in the summer, after the first flowering. Once every 3-4 years, a rejuvenating pruning of the bush is carried out.
• Reproduction: seeds, green and semi-lignified cuttings, layering and shoots.
• Pests: aphids, thrips, caterpillars, spider mites, beetles and bears.
• Diseases: gray rot, spotting.

Read more about growing weigela below.

Weigela shrub - description

Weigela flower is moisture-loving and relatively shade-tolerant. This upright shrub does not form stolons, the leaf arrangement on its shoots is opposite, the leaves are petiolate, without stipules, serrated or serrate-toothed. Flowers, funnel-shaped or bell-shaped, up to 5 cm long, solitary or collected in loose inflorescences, are pink, cream, yellow, carmine red and other colors that can change during flowering from a lighter shade of color to a more saturated one. After flowering, the weigela bush forms fruits - bivalve boxes with small seeds.

Planting weigela

When to plant weigela

Weigela takes root best of all in the spring, during the time interval between the beginning of the soil warming up and the swelling of the buds. The autumn planting of weigela, as a rule, dies in the first winter. Choose a place for the shrub on a hill, protected from the north winds and strong drafts, due to which the flowers and buds of the plant can crumble - weigela grows best on the south side of the house. In order for the flowering of weigela to be bright and plentiful, good lighting is desirable.

The soil for weigela is rich in humus and loose- sandy or loamy, slightly alkaline or neutral reaction. The only exception is Weigela middendorffiana, which can also grow on slightly acidic peaty soils. Seedlings at least three years old are suitable for planting.

How to plant weigela

Planting a weigela plant is carried out in a pit 30-40 cm deep, but if the soil in the area is not rich, then the depth of the pit should be a little more so that it can be laid on its bottom, except for a fifteen-centimeter drainage layer of broken bricks, gravel or sand, a layer of fertile soil with fertilizers - 100 g of nitrophoska and one and a half buckets of compost for each weigela bush. The nutritional supplement must be thoroughly mixed with the compost. To increase survival planting material, the roots of seedlings can be treated with a solution of a root stimulator, for example, Radifarm, or Viva +.

Weigela seedlings of large varieties (up to 2.5 m high) are placed at a distance of one and a half to two meters from each other, for low varieties, not more than a meter, a gap of 80 cm is sufficient. around the roots, carefully compacted. The root neck of the seedling is buried no more than 1-2 cm, and it is better that when the earth settles, it is flush with the surface. After planting, the seedlings are watered abundantly, the site is mulched.

Weigela care

Weigela in spring

Growing weigela is not laborious, and you will definitely cope with it. Spring planting is completed, and now you just have to take care of the weigela in accordance with the rules of agricultural technology: water moderately during the dry season (if the site is mulched, the need frequent watering does not threaten you), remove weeds as they appear and be sure to carefully, so as not to damage the roots of the shrub, loosen the soil to the depth of a shovel bayonet.

Weigela care includes the introduction nutritional supplements, but if you put compost and nitrophoska under the roots during planting, then you can not fertilize the weigela for two years. In the third year, in early spring, to stimulate the growth of new shoots and leaves, apply a complete mineral fertilizer to the soil - ammophoska, diammophoska, Kemira-lux or other top dressing containing phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen.

The second time, at the end of May or the beginning of June, when the weigela forms buds, make a second top dressing, consisting of potash and phosphorus fertilizers (superphosphate, potassium sulfate), which will provide longer and more lush flowering, and at the same time strengthen the branches of the plant for winter.

The third top dressing is carried out for autumn digging - it is introduced wood ash at the rate of 200 grams per square meter of land or Kemira fertilizer - autumn at the dosage indicated in the instructions.

Weigela flowering

The most remarkable advantage of weigela over others garden shrubs is that it blooms twice a season: the first, very abundant flowering takes place on last year's shoots from mid-May to mid-June, the second time, but not so luxuriantly, weigela blooms in August-September on the shoots of the current year. Blooming weigela is a delightful sight.

Weigela reproduction

Weigela is easily propagated by seeds, but since seed germination lasts only for one or two years, it makes no sense to arrange a rigmarole with sowing seeds in boxes and greenhouses. Moreover, it is much easier to leave the seeds that wake up in the fall in the ground, and in the spring, when they germinate, leave the strongest seedlings and grow them for two years until the time comes to transplant them to a permanent place. However, it should be remembered that when seed propagation the species properties of plants may not be preserved, therefore flower growers prefer vegetative propagation methods to seed ones: summer green or last year's semi-lignified cuttings, young shoots from a stump or layering.

From the green shoots of the current year, cut at the end of June, or last year's semi-lignified shoots, cut in early spring before the start of sap flow, as well as from the basal shoots, cuttings 10-15 cm long are cut, the lower leaves are removed from them, and the upper ones are shortened by half. The lower cut of the cuttings is treated with Kornevin, then the cuttings are planted in a mixture of sand and peat, covered with a four-centimeter layer of sand. Planting cuttings should not be deep, a depth of one centimeter is enough. From above, each cutting is covered with a glass jar or a cut plastic bottle, which is removed daily to air and moisten the cuttings. As soon as you find a new shoot on any cutting, pinch it to stimulate tillering.

Layers are propagated as follows: one of the lowest shoots is bent to the ground, in the place where it comes into contact with the ground, the bark of the layer is slightly damaged, attached to the ground and sprinkled with soil. Next spring you will have a full-fledged weigela seedling. Please note that both cuttings and layering must be grown for three years before planting in a permanent place.

Pruning weigela

Like any shrub, weigela needs a haircut. Young bushes need only sanitary pruning, in which broken, frozen, diseased or thickening branches are removed in early spring. Mature bushes are subjected to formative pruning, which is carried out in the middle of summer after the first flowering of the weigela, while new shoots have not yet grown. But keep in mind that the second flowering occurs just on the shoots of the current year, so if you missed the time of the summer haircut and the shoots began to grow, it is better not to carry out summer pruning at all.

In addition, adult bushes need rejuvenating pruning every three to four years, during which all branches that are more than three years old are removed, and the rest are shortened by a third. Sometimes it makes sense to cut off all the shoots in general, and don’t worry, the weigela recovers perfectly after such pruning.

Weigela pests and diseases

Most often, weigela is affected by aphids and leaf-eating caterpillars, and in extreme heat - spider mites and thrips, but usually by the time the heat sets in, the first flowering of weigela is already coming to an end. For pest control, Rogor, Nitrafen, Keltan are used - pesticides that are harmful environment. To avoid this, it is better to use insecticidal herbal infusions, for example, from wormwood, hot pepper or garlic, in order to destroy pests.

If the seedlings begin to turn yellow and wilt after planting, it is quite possible that their root system was struck by May beetle larvae or bears, which could be brought into the planting pit with humus or compost. In this case, spill the soil with a solution of Karbofos or Aktara.

Of the diseases, rust, gray rot and spotting are dangerous for weigela. To combat bacterial and fungal diseases use Bordeaux liquid treatment - milk of lime With blue vitriol. In order to prevent diseases, it is advisable to treat weigela during the appearance of leaves with a three percent solution of Topsin.

Weigela after flowering

How and when to collect weigela seeds

Weigela seeds ripen in September, and they need to be collected in November, when the boxes begin to crack. To prevent the contents of the boxes from spilling into the soil, wrap several testes with gauze in September and fix it on a branch, and in November cut off the box with gauze, bring it into the room, carefully remove the gauze, shake out the seeds on a newspaper, dry them, pour them into a paper bag, write on it the name of the plant, variety, date of bookmarking and store until spring in a dry, dark place. Remember that weigela seeds lose their germination after a year or two, and plants grown from seeds rarely retain the varietal characteristics of their parents.

Weigela in winter

When all the leaves fall from the weigela, and this happens at the end of October or the beginning of November, sprinkle the near-stem circle of the weigela with earth, forming a hill 15-20 cm high. It is better to bend the weigela branches to the ground and press them against it, as is done with hydrangea, and close from above with roofing material or spunbond, fixing the coating so that it is not torn off by the wind. You can not bend the branches to the ground, but tightly tighten the branches with a rope or twine, fence the bush with a frame made of metal or plastic mesh, pour inside this structure for the warmth of dry foliage, and wrap this structure on top with a dense covering material.

Types and varieties of weigela

For gardeners in our latitudes, more or less winter-hardy species and varieties of weigela. These include:

Early weigela, or pleasant weigela (Weigela praecox)

Naturally growing in the Far East. In height, the early weigela bush reaches two meters, the leaves are pubescent, the crown is spherical. The flowers, bright pink on the outside, are collected in inflorescences of 2-3 pieces on the lateral shoots of the current year. Sometimes the pharynx of flowers is colored yellowish-white, in buds the flowers have a purple tint. This species blooms from the end of May for 10-30 days. Weigela variegated is of interest - a variegated variety of early weigela, the green leaves of which are covered yellow spots, in the summer acquiring a cream shade.

Weigela blooming, or weigela florida (Weigela florida)

Shrub up to three meters high, on the shoots - two rows of hairs. Leaves on short petioles, serrate, pubescent above only along the central vein, below - along all veins. Inflorescences of 3-4 bright pink flowers open in late May and bloom for up to three weeks. Most popular forms:

• weigela purple, or red weigela (Weigela Purpurea)- a bush with a dense crown, reaching a height of one and a half meters, red-brown leaves, rich pink flowers with a yellow throat, blooms in June-July. Variety Nana Purpurea is almost exact, but a reduced copy of purple weigela;
• Alba- a dwarf form with white flowers that turn pink with withering;
• Variegata- an elegant and most frost-resistant form with small leaves, bright pink flowers collected in a brush;
• weigela pink (Weigela florida Bunge)- a form with flowers of a pink-carmine hue on the outside and pale pink, almost white inside;
• weigela Victoria (Weigela florida Victoria)- a meter bush with red-brown foliage, flowers of a crimson hue.

Weigela hybrid (Weigela hybrida)

It has a spreading crown, blooms profusely. In height reaches one and a half meters. Fragrant tubular-funnel-shaped flowers, single or collected in loose inflorescences, bloom depending on the variety in white, pink, purple, lilac and red-violet. by the most popular varieties are:

• Weigela Bristol Ruby- a variety bred in the USA in 1941. The height of the bush is from 2.5 to 3 m, the diameter of the crown is up to 3.5 m. The leaves are bright green. The flowers are pink with a ruby ​​red edge, sometimes with an orange center. Weigela Bristol Ruby grows very fast, blooms at the end of June;
• Weigela Red Prince- a compact bush, also of American selection, one and a half meters high, the crown is spreading, the branches are drooping, the flowers of a rich red color look contrast against the background of bright green foliage.

Weigela middendorffiana

Bush 1-1.5 m high, ascending shoots, flowers are large (3-4 cm), yellow in color with orange spots in the throat, single or collected in few-flowered inflorescences from 2 to 6 pieces each. Blooms twice a season.

In addition to these popular species, their varieties and varieties in culture, they also grow abundantly flowering weigela, pleasant weigela, early weigela, Japanese weigela, garden weigela, Maksimovich's weigela and Korean weigela.

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