Glossy abelia is a versatile mid-sized shrub with abundant clusters of funnel-shaped white to pink blooms on gracefully arching stems. The “glossy” in its name derives from the gleaming foliage — small, glossy, dark-green leaves that are tinged with bronze when first emerging, and then turning reddish-purple in fall. It’s considered semi-evergreen: some years, many leaves will remain over winter, while in other years, it may be mostly deciduous.
Glossy abelia’s blooms emerge in summer and continue through fall — sometimes even past frost — providing a long season of nectar for hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. This shrub can be placed as a focal point or used as part of a privacy screen or hedgerow, where it should be placed on the outer edge in front of taller shrubs. It’s also used on slopes to prevent erosion.
This abelia is adapted to sites from full sun or partial shade, but it will flower best with a bit more sun (it can be quite shade tolerant, but at the expense of flowers). It’s tolerant of most soils, as long as there is adequate drainage, and will be drought tolerant over time, after establishment with deep, infrequent irrigation. Once established, glossy abelia requires very little maintenance.
Glossy abelia is a versatile mid-sized shrub with abundant clusters of funnel-shaped white to pink blooms on gracefully arching stems. The “glossy” in its name derives from the gleaming foliage — small, glossy, dark-green leaves that are tinged with bronze when first emerging, and then turning reddish-purple in fall. It’s considered semi-evergreen: some years, many leaves will remain over winter, while in other years, it may be mostly deciduous.
Glossy abelia’s blooms emerge in summer and continue through fall — sometimes even past frost — providing a long season of nectar for hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. This shrub can be placed as a focal point or used as part of a privacy screen or hedgerow, where it should be placed on the outer edge in front of taller shrubs. It’s also used on slopes to prevent erosion.
This abelia is adapted to sites from full sun or partial shade, but it will flower best with a bit more sun (it can be quite shade tolerant, but at the expense of flowers). It’s tolerant of most soils, as long as there is adequate drainage, and will be drought tolerant over time, after establishment with deep, infrequent irrigation. Once established, glossy abelia requires very little maintenance.
