Photo: Mariko GODA, Public domain · source

Shrub · Caprifoliaceae

Glossy abelia

Abelia × grandiflora

In other languages: Abelia (Nederlands) · Abélia à grandes fleurs (Français)

Abelia × grandiflora is a semi-evergreen shrub, a garden hybrid of two Chinese abelias. From July into October it carries small clusters of lightly scented bells, white flushed with pink, which attract bees and butterflies. Its graceful, arching branches with glossy leaves form a loose, elegant shrub of about 1.5 m. After flowering, the pink to bronze sepals stay on for weeks, so it gives colour until late in autumn. There are also variegated varieties, such as ‘Francis Mason’, with yellow-edged leaves.

Updated on 9 October 2026

Light
Sun or partial shade
preferably some sun
Moisture
Normal
no wet feet
Legal basis
Sand, loam or clay
acid to neutral
Hardiness
down to -15 °C
protect young plants
Size
1.5 m
tall, 1.5 m wide
Flowering
July–October

Key facts
Pruning months	April
Height	1.5 m
Native to Belgium	No, planted
Good for bees, butterflies and birds	Yes, for bees and butterflies
Poisonous to people and pets	Not known to be poisonous
Flowering	July–October

Identify

Glossy abelia: how do you recognise it?

Habit: Graceful, rounded shrub with arching branches, 1–1.5 m tall and as wide.
Leaves: Small, oval, glossy dark green, opposite; young leaves are often bronze. Semi-evergreen.
Flowers: Trumpet-shaped bells of 1–2 cm in small clusters at the tips of the new shoots.
Colour: White flushed with pink; the persistent sepals are pink to bronze-red.
Scent: Light and sweet, especially on warm days.

Flowering: July–October · Plants: April–May and September–October · Pruning: April

In your garden

Why grow it?

Flowers late and long, from July into October, when many shrubs have finished.
A valuable late source of nectar for bees, bumblebees and butterflies.
The flowers have a light, sweet scent.
Semi-evergreen: in mild winters it keeps much of its foliage.
Fits into a mixed border, an informal hedge or a large pot.

Glossy abelia: where does it grow best?

Sun or light partial shade; it flowers most freely in sun.
A warm, sheltered spot, out of cold east winds.
Well-drained, humus-rich soil: sand, loam or clay, acid to neutral, not too dry.
Space 1–1.5 m apart; for an informal hedge about 80 cm.

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 -15 °C)

Goes well with

Michaelmas daisy: Flowers at the same time in September–October and also attracts butterflies.
Ornamental grasses: Airy stems beside the arching branches.
Lavender: A fragrant blue base in summer.
Sedum: Flat flower heads in autumn, just as popular with bees.

Maintenance

Glossy abelia: when and how to plant it?

Plant in April–May and September–October.

Plant in April–May or September–October.
Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and mix in compost.
Set the shrub at the same depth as it was in the pot and firm the soil well.
Water in well and mulch the base with compost or wood chips.
Water regularly during the first year.

Care

Water: Regularly in the first year; after that only in long dry spells.
Feeding: A layer of compost or a little organic feed in spring.
Mulching: In autumn, a mulch around the base as protection against frost.
Pot: In a large pot with compost for shrubs; water regularly in summer.

Tip: Plant it in a sunny, sheltered spot. Prune lightly in April and remove a few old stems at the base: it flowers on new wood into autumn.

Glossy abelia: when to prune it?

Pruning months: April.

When: In April, once the worst frosts are over: it flowers on new wood.

How:

Cut frosted shoot tips back to healthy wood.
Each year, remove a few of the oldest stems at the base; young shoots will take their place.
Shorten over-long branches a little, but keep the arching shape.
A neglected shrub can be cut back hard in April: it usually regrows well.

Caution: Don’t clip it into a tight ball: it will lose its graceful shape and flower less.

Pruning: when and how · Pruning calendar and basic rules

Propagation

Softwood cuttings: In June–July, 8–10 cm cuttings from non-flowering shoots, under a plastic bag.
Semi-ripe cuttings: In August, 10 cm cuttings in a cold frame or under plastic. Overwinter them frost-free.

Glossy abelia: how does it get through the winter?

Hardy to −15 °C: protect young plants.

Hardy to about −15 °C: in cold winters it loses many leaves and the shoots can die back.
It usually regrows in spring, if need be from the base.
Mulch the base in autumn with compost or leaf mould.
In a pot: stand it against a wall and wrap the pot.

Diseases and pests

Frost damage: Dead shoot tips after a severe winter. Cut them back to healthy wood in April.
Aphids: Sometimes on the young shoots. Spray them off with water.
Few flowers: Too much shade, or pruned in summer. Give it a sunny spot and prune only in spring.
Limp leaves: Drought, especially in a pot. Water generously.

Through the year

April: Prune: remove frosted tips and a few old stems. Plant.
May: Plant. Give compost.
June: Take softwood cuttings.
July: First flowers.
August: In flower and full of bees and butterflies. Take semi-ripe cuttings. Water in dry spells.
September: In flower. Plant.
October: Last flowers and pink sepals. Plant. Mulch.
November: Top up the mulch around the base.

Use

Good for wildlife

Bees: Nectar and pollen for honeybees and wild bees.
Butterflies: Nectar for butterflies.

You and this species

Did you know?

Even after the flowers have dropped, the pinkish-red sepals stay on the shrub for weeks, giving it long-lasting colour.
The genus is named after Clarke Abel, a British doctor and naturalist who collected plants in China in the early 19th century.
Abelia × grandiflora is a cross between Abelia chinensis and Abelia uniflora.

Garden plants · All species