Abelia: A Modern Look to an Old-Fashioned Shrub

Abelia is an old-fashioned shrub. Chances are your grandparents knew them as 6-foot plants with green leaves and small flowers. Now however there are so many varieties they may not even recognize the new cultivars. Abelia is available in compact sizes and in a wide spectrum of foliage color. Depending on the cultivar, foliage can be variegated green and cream or green and yellow or even red, bronze, and orange. Sometimes the new growth is a different color than the old growth.

A member of the honeysuckle family, Caprifoliaceae, abelia has sweetly scented, funnel-shaped flowers that attract pollinators. They bloom from spring to fall. Right now in the Washington DC metro area the bushes are covered in flowers.

Abelia plants are deer resistant with minimal pest and disease issues. They are called “semi evergreen,” which means they will drop leaves in areas such as ours with cold winters but will retain leaves in the south. The shrubs are ideal for borders, foundations, screens, and hedges, and for erosion control on banks and slopes. Now is a great time to purchase them while you can see how they bloom and look. Select the variety you like best at your local independent garden center.