Abelia grandiflora care: watering, climate and maintenance

caring for abelia grandiflora in a pot

The genus of abelias contains 30 species and all of them are shrubs native to Mexico and Asia. They have semi-evergreen foliage that has a bright green color and are very useful for gardening and decorating green spaces. One of the most used is Abelia grandiflora. The care of Abelia grandiflora They are not complicated and their flowers are quite beautiful, of a white color that contrasts with the intense green of the leaves and the reddish tone of the stems.

Therefore, we are going to dedicate this article to tell you everything you need to know about caring for the Abelia grandiflora and what are its main characteristics.

Key features

decorative bush

Abelia grandiflora it usually reaches a height of about 150 cm, although it can double this height. It is a shrub with red stems, the lanceolate leaves are a beautiful green color and the edges are serrated.

The flowers of Abelia grandiflora they are tubular and bell-shaped, only 1 cm long, with pink petals and a pleasant fragrance. When the petals fall, after flowering, the calyx remains on the plant, reddening the bushes, which is highly appreciated in decoration. In the right environment, it continues to bloom throughout the warm months from spring to fall, which is why it is so popular in gardening.

The branches are woody, external and arched, somewhat droopy and pubescent, composed of opposite dark green glossy oval leaves.. Each of them is 5 cm long. The flowering period runs from mid-spring to mid-autumn, and consists of pleasantly fragrant tubular flowers, concentrated in axillary or terminal tops. Its diameter is usually around 2 cm and the corolla is white with pink spots.

The calyx consists of up to five orange or reddish sepals, which still exist after flowering. As mentioned earlier, Abelia grandiflora generally It is grown in gardens as an isolated ornamental plant or as a barrier to other species of shrubs. It is recommended to use this plant to form uniform or large and wide groups. It can also be planted in pots, taking care that the chosen container is always generously larger than the underground part of the plant. At a minimum, the diameter of the pot should be twice the size of the clod.

Caring for the Abelia grandiflora and requirements

caring for abelia grandiflora

This plant needs a lot of sunlight, even direct sunlight. In fact, unless we live in an unusually warm climate, abelia needs to be exposed to direct light as much as possible. However, if the sunlight in our area is particularly strongthe plants will prefer a semi-shady place.

When it comes to the location of the abelia, the most important thing is to protect it from drafts, which it simply cannot tolerate. Therefore, in windy areas, it is necessary to plant shrubs in shelters with other plants or larger walls.

As for the temperature, it can tolerate hot or even very hot climates without any problem, but not at low temperatures, especially when the plants are young. This shrub cannot tolerate frost before the stems are lignified, at which point it can withstand specific temperatures down to -10 ºC.

Irrigation

Another of the cares of the Abelia grandiflora is irrigation, since although its substrate usually requires a certain degree of humidity, can withstand certain droughts. Therefore, as long as it is watered from time to time, large flowering plants can withstand small careless waterings.

In the warmer months, it is recommended to maintain constant and regular watering, and not always immerse the plants, but provide deep watering. On the other hand, watering should be reduced considerably in colder months, once every two weeks or more at intervals. Also, keep in mind that if you put the plant in a pot, you have to remove the excess water from the dish 10 minutes after you have watered.

Substrate and compost to improve the care of the Abelia grandiflora

ornamental shrubs

This may be the most important abelia care along with light. You need well-drained soil that is very rich in organic matter. Therefore, it is necessary find an area in the garden that does not have a drainage problembut if the soil is not well drained, sand must be added before planting.

In the pot, a universal mixture made with equal parts of peat, earthworm and coconut fiber works well, especially if we add a little vermiculite and perlite.

Fertilizer for this plant, which is very necessary for its health and flowering, should not be neglected. Regardless of whether it is potted or not, organic fertilizers should be applied in spring and fallone is to promote flowering and the other is to strengthen before winter.

Maintenance, reproduction, pests and diseases

If you want to know how to prune Abelia grandiflora, you are lucky because the plant is not very demanding about it. A maintenance pruning every two years is enough to keep it in good condition. Given its enormous growth in this area, it is enough to remove the branches and leaves that are in poor condition and use them, if you want, to control their growth and give it shape, especially in width.

The easiest way to reproduce your large flowers at home is by cutting or dividing it into pieces. To propagate abelias by cuttings, It must be done in summer, and cork stems are taken, and cluster division is best in spring. In the case of reproduction of this plant, it is recommended to move the cut or separated bush to a controlled or indoor area and transplant it to its new final location after rooting and proper grasping.

One of the best characteristics of this shrub is its extraordinary resistance to the most common pests and diseases, and it is rarely affected. At most, only when the plant is weak, it is occasionally attacked by aphids, but As long as you are in good health and nutrition, that is rare.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about the care of the Abelia grandiflora.

Abelia grandiflora care: watering, climate and maintenance

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