Landscape - New Abelia Cultivars

The following are some new Abelia cultivars from the University of Georgia breeding program that would do well in Delaware Landscapes

Abelia

They are not your grandmother’s Abelia anymore! Abelia, a foundation plant long used in American and European landscapes, is undergoing a facelift and three unique Abelia hybrids have been released as cultivars in 2006. These plants will add colorful excitement to an old garden standby. Plant Patents have been applied for and the cultivars have been licensed to Ball Horticultural.

‘Lavender Mist’ ‘Lavender Mist’ is a seedling selection of ‘Edward Goucher’ x. A. chinensis and develops into a dense, compact shrub with a slight spreading habit. This Abelia is a heavy and fragrant bloomer with clusters of lavender flowers and gray-green foliage, making it unique among Abelia cultivars. ‘Lavender Mist’ begins blooming in mid June and generally there are two heavy-blooming periods in June and August, with scattered blooms continuing into autumn. Sepals are straw-green color at the base, becoming rose at the tips. In the fall, the leaves on the shoot tips turn burgundy/purple while the others remain green. By mid-winter, the foliage is dark purple. After landscape establishment, a hard pruning is recommended in early spring to encourage compact growth and heavy blooming. ‘Lavender Mist’ is semi-deciduous in Georgia.
Common Name: Abelia Hardiness Zone: 6 to 9Height: 63”Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
PPAF

‘Plum Surprise’ ‘Plum Surprise’ is a seedling selection from the cross ‘Edward Goucher’ x ‘Francis Mason’ and forms an unusual weeping, spreading mound with fine-textured foliage. In March and April, foliage is a yellow-green with scattered red/purple leaves. In late spring, the foliage becomes an emerald green and remains green throughout the summer. New stem growth is red, turning to a red-brown when older. The most striking features of ‘Plum Surprise’ are the fall and winter foliage color and the evergreen habit of the cultivar. As autumn progresses, the outer shoots and leaves transform to red/purple or crimson, while the inner foliage is a bright emerald green. Foliage is glossy in the winter, and a deep purple or burgundy color develops. ‘Plum Surprise’ is a relatively light bloomer, with flowers scattered individually or in pairs. The flowers appear white, but on close examination have a purple blush with a pale yellow throat. ‘Plum Surprise’ is noteworthy for its heat and drought tolerance.
Common Name: Abelia Hardiness Zone: 6 to 9Height: 36”Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade
PPAF

‘Raspberry Profusion’ ‘Raspberry Profusion’ is a seedling selection of ‘Edward Goucher’ x A. chinensis, and develops into a dense shrub following establishment in the landscape. This Abelia is a very heavy and very early bloomer. Flowering begins in early May and becomes very profuse by early June. ‘Raspberry Profusion’ boasts large showy, fragrant blooms of pink flowers or flamboyant raspberry-colored sepals (to which it owes its name). These large, showy panicles of pink flowers mingle with the vivid sepals and together cover the entire plant, practically obscuring the foliage which is a glossy and medium to dark green in color. After landscape establishment, a hard pruning is recommended in early spring to encourage compact growth and heavy blooming. During the winter months, ‘Raspberry Profusion’ is mostly deciduous.
Common Name: Abelia Hardiness Zone: 6 to 9Height: 57”Exposure: Full Sun to Partial Shade

Go to http://georgiagems.uga.edu/plants/shrubs/abelia.html for more information and photos.