Chinese abelia

Chinese abelia: how do you recognise it?

Habit

A loose, rounded shrub about 1.5 m tall and wide, with slender, arching branches.

Leaves

Small, oval and finely toothed, glossy green; deciduous.

Flowers

Clusters of small, funnel-shaped flowers at the tips of the new shoots, white flushed pink, from July to September.

Scent

Sweet and honey-like, strongest on warm days.

Calyx

The pink to reddish-brown sepals persist after flowering and decorate the shrub into autumn.

Flowering: July–September · Plants: March–April and October–November · Pruning: March–April

Why grow it?

• Flowers from July to September, when many shrubs are over.
• A top plant for butterflies, bees and bumblebees in late summer.
• Sweetly scented flower clusters, lovely near a seat or along a path.
• After flowering, the pink sepals remain attractive on the branches for weeks.
• Modest in size, so also suitable for a smaller garden or a large pot.
• Little pruning: removing a few old branches now and then is enough.

Chinese abelia: where does it grow best?

• Sun or partial shade; it flowers most freely in full sun.
• Any well-drained garden soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to neutral.
• Normally moist, without waterlogging in winter.
• A warm, sheltered spot, for example in front of a south- or west-facing wall, protects it in harsh winters.
• Allow about 1.5 m of space per shrub.

Light

Sun and partial shade

Soil type

Sand, loam or clay

Acidity

Acid or neutral

Moisture

Normal

Size

1.5 m tall, 1.5 m wide

Hardiness

Hardy (to -18 °C)

Goes well with

• Lavender: Blue flowers and grey foliage at the base, also popular with butterflies.
• Sedum: Flowers in late summer and attracts the same butterflies and bees.
• Bluebeard: Blue flowers in August–September beside the white clusters.
• Michaelmas daisy: Extends the butterfly feast into October.
• Ornamental grasses: Light plumes that echo the loose shape of the shrub.

Chinese abelia: when and how to plant it?

Plant in March–April and October–November.

1. Plant in March–April or in October–November, when the soil is neither frozen nor waterlogged.
2. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in a few spadefuls of compost.
3. Set the shrub at the same depth as it was in its pot and firm the soil well.
4. Keep about 1.5 m from other shrubs.
5. Water in thoroughly straight away, even if it is raining.
6. Mulch the base with compost or wood chips; when planting in autumn, this also protects against frost.

Care

Watering

In the first year, water regularly in dry spells. Later it tolerates a dry period, but watering prolongs flowering.

Feeding

In April, some compost or an organic fertiliser for flowering shrubs. Do not feed after July.

Mulching

A layer of compost or wood chips in spring keeps the soil moist.

In a pot

Use a large pot with a drainage hole and good compost; water regularly in summer.

Faded flowers

Leave them: the pink sepals that remain are part of the charm.

Tip: Plant it by a sunny terrace or seat: in late summer you can then enjoy both the scent and the many butterflies it draws in.

Chinese abelia: when to prune it?

Pruning months: March–April.

When: Prune in March–April, once the hardest frosts are over. It flowers on this year’s shoots, so spring pruning costs no flowers.

How:

• Cut frosted or dead shoot tips back to healthy wood.
• Every year or two, remove a few of the oldest branches at the base so that young shoots can replace them.
• Shorten branches that are too long to just above a bud; do not shear the shrub, or it will lose its graceful shape.
• If the shrub has been badly frosted after a harsh winter, cut it back hard: it usually reshoots from the base.

Caution: Do not prune in late summer or autumn: any young shoots that grow afterwards are vulnerable to frost.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Softwood cuttings

In May–June, take 8–10 cm cuttings from young shoots, remove the lower leaves and root them in moist compost under plastic in a warm, light place.

Semi-ripe cuttings

In July–August, take 10 cm cuttings from non-flowering shoots and root them in a mix of cutting compost and sand. Overwinter frost-free.

Layering

In summer, peg a low branch down into the soil; after a year, sever it and transplant it.

Chinese abelia: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −18 °C: protect young plants.

• Hardy to about −18 °C: it comes through most Belgian winters without trouble.
• In harsh winters the branches may be cut back by frost; the shrub then usually reshoots from the base.
• In autumn, mulch young shrubs with a thick layer of leaf mould or straw around the base.
• In a pot: stand the pot against a sheltered wall and wrap it in severe frost.

Diseases and pests

• Frost damage: Brown, dead shoot tips after a harsh winter. Wait until April and cut back to healthy wood.
• Few flowers: Caused by too much shade or too much nitrogen fertiliser. A sunnier spot and less fertiliser help.
• Yellow leaves: On very chalky or wet soil the leaves may turn yellow. Add compost or leaf mould and make sure the soil drains well.
• Aphids: Sometimes on young shoots in spring. Ladybirds usually deal with them; otherwise, hose them off with water.

Through the year

• March: Cut out frost damage. Plant.
• April: Remove a few old branches. Add compost. Plant.
• May: Mulch. Take softwood cuttings.
• June: Water in dry spells.
• July: Flowering begins. Take semi-ripe cuttings.
• August: Full flower, covered in butterflies. Water in dry spells.
• September: Last flowers. The pink calyces remain.
• October: Plant. The calyces decorate the shrub.
• November: Plant. Mulch the base against frost.
• December: Wrap pots in severe frost.

Good for wildlife

Bees

Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.

Butterflies

Nectar for butterflies.

Did you know?

• The genus is named after Clarke Abel, a British surgeon and naturalist who travelled to China with a diplomatic mission in the early 19th century.
• The well-known Abelia × grandiflora is a hybrid between Abelia chinensis and Abelia uniflora.
• Because the coloured sepals stay on after flowering, the shrub seems to keep flowering for weeks.