Weigela, a popular deciduous shrub, offers vibrant blooms and appealing foliage. These hardy, easy-to-cultivate plants bring visual interest to gardens. Their abundant, trumpet-shaped flowers attract pollinators like hummingbirds and butterflies. Weigela’s adaptable nature makes it a favored choice for gardeners.
Understanding Variegated Weigela
Variegation in Weigela means foliage displays multiple colors beyond solid green. Leaves are adorned with patterns of cream, white, yellow, or pink, often as margins, splashes, or central blazes. These multi-toned leaves provide a dynamic display, extending the plant’s appeal beyond flowering and offering sustained garden interest.
The visual impact comes from the striking contrast and depth these patterns create against the green leaf base. Cultivars with gold, chartreuse, or purple foliage show richer color saturation in full sun. This foliage diversity introduces varied textures and hues into landscape designs, ensuring an attractive garden across multiple seasons.
Popular Variegated Weigela Varieties
Variegated Weigela varieties offer distinct characteristics for various garden sizes and aesthetic preferences. They thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 through 8.
‘My Monet’ Weigela
‘My Monet’ Weigela (Weigela florida ‘Verweig’) is a compact, dwarf variety, reaching 12 to 18 inches tall and 18 to 24 inches wide. Its foliage features green centers, creamy-white margins, and often a pink blush in cooler conditions or full sun. It produces soft pink, trumpet-shaped flowers in late spring, with sporadic reblooming. A sport of ‘Tango’, it has a neat, mounded habit.
‘Rainbow Sensation’ Weigela
‘Rainbow Sensation’ Weigela (Weigela florida ‘Kolmagira’) offers a vibrant blend of colors, with foliage displaying green, yellow, cream, and hints of pink. This shrub grows to 3 to 4 feet tall and wide, suitable for various garden settings. Soft pink, funnel-shaped flowers bloom profusely in May or June, attracting hummingbirds. It is cold hardy and adaptable to urban environments.
‘Sonic Bloom Ghost’ Weigela
‘Sonic Bloom Ghost’ Weigela (Weigela florida ‘Carlton’) features a distinct foliage transformation. Leaves emerge lime green in spring, transitioning to buttery yellow as summer progresses. This variety reaches 4 to 5 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide. It produces dark red flowers in spring, with significant reblooming in summer or fall, providing extended interest.
‘Wine & Roses’ Weigela
‘Wine & Roses’ Weigela (Weigela florida ‘Alexandra’) features deep burgundy, almost black, foliage that provides a striking backdrop for its vibrant pink, trumpet-shaped flowers. Though not strictly variegated, its dark foliage offers profound contrast, creating visual depth. This variety grows 4 to 6 feet tall and wide. It blooms in spring, with dark leaves maintaining rich color throughout the growing season in full sun.
‘Tango’ Weigela
‘Tango’ Weigela (Weigela florida ‘Tango’) is a compact, dense, rounded shrub with purplish-green foliage. This smaller variety grows to 2 to 3 feet tall and wide, well-suited for smaller spaces or edging. It features rosy-red, funnel-shaped flowers that bloom profusely in spring, with occasional repeat blooms into late summer. Its spreading growth habit and distinctive leaf color enhance landscape use.
Caring for Variegated Weigela
Variegated Weigela thrives in full sun, promoting prolific flowering and vibrant foliage coloration. While they tolerate some partial shade, too much shade diminishes bloom production and leaf variegation intensity.
Weigela prefers well-drained, moderately acidic to slightly alkaline soil (pH 5.5-7.5). Good drainage prevents root rot. Newly planted shrubs need consistent watering until established, usually when the top 2 inches of soil feel dry. Once established, Weigela are drought-tolerant, requiring supplemental watering only during prolonged dry periods.
Fertilization supports vigorous growth and abundant flowering. Apply a balanced, slow-release fertilizer once a year in early spring, before new growth emerges. This provides nutrients when the plant is actively growing and preparing for its bloom cycle. Pruning is best performed immediately after the main spring bloom, as Weigela flowers primarily on old wood. This post-bloom pruning allows the plant to set new wood for the following season’s flowers and maintains its shape and size.
Weigela is resistant to most pests and diseases. However, they can occasionally experience issues with aphids, spider mites, or mealybugs. Fungal diseases like powdery mildew, black spot, or anthracnose can occur in humid or crowded conditions. Good air circulation and avoiding overhead watering help mitigate these issues.
Landscape Uses for Variegated Weigela
The distinctive foliage of variegated Weigela makes them versatile plants for various garden designs. Their multi-colored leaves provide continuous visual interest, serving as an attractive feature even outside of their blooming period. This allows integration into diverse landscape themes.
Variegated Weigela can serve as an eye-catching focal point or specimen plant, drawing attention with their unique leaf patterns and spring flowers. Placing a single shrub in a prominent location, such as near an entryway or garden path intersection, creates a strong visual anchor. They are also well-suited for mixed borders, where their varied foliage colors provide contrast and texture against other shrubs and perennials.
Mass plantings of variegated Weigela create a sweep of color and form, especially with compact varieties. Their dense growth habit makes them excellent choices for foundation plantings, softening architectural lines and adding year-round structure. Smaller, compact varieties are well-suited for container gardening, offering flexibility for patios, balconies, or urban spaces. Pairing variegated Weigela with plants that have solid green or dark foliage, or complementary flower colors, enhances their attributes and creates a cohesive, vibrant garden composition.