Weigela Plant Care

Weigela (Weigela florida) belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family within the Weigela genus. Weigela is native to Inner Mongolia, Manchuria, northern and south-central China, Primorsky Krai in the Russian Far East, the Korean Peninsula, and Kyushu in Japan, and it has been introduced to Bulgaria, Great Britain, Ireland, the United States, and Uzbekistan. Weigela is also known as Old-fashioned Weigela, French Mulberry.

Weigela displays an upright, spreading shrub growth habit, reaching up to 6 ft tall with a spread of approximately 8 ft. Weigela produces tubular flowers in shades of pink, red, or white.

Leaf size: approximately 4 inches.

Water a young or newly planted Weigela every 7–10 days, soaking the whole root zone, until it is established — usually one to two growing seasons. Established trees mainly need water during long dry spells. In a container, water whenever the top few centimetres of soil are dry.

Weigela thrives in full sun to part shade.

Weigela florida tolerates temperatures of 0–100°F. Weigela prefers humidity levels of 40–70%.

Rich, well-draining soil with compost or aged manure. Good drainage is essential for Weigela to prevent waterlogging, which leads to root rot and fungal issues.

Feed Weigela every 6 months during the growing season with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer at the rate on the label. Established trees in good soil often need little extra feeding, so let weak growth or pale foliage guide you.

Stop feeding by late summer so new growth can harden before winter.

The PlantoScan app can remind you when to water and when to fertilize each plant.

Choose a spot with full sun to part shade and rich, well-draining soil with compost or aged manure. Avoid low spots where water collects after rain.

Plant container-grown or balled-and-burlapped trees in spring or early autumn, setting the root flare at soil level, and water well after planting.

Weigela can spread to about 8 ft (2.4 m) and reach about 6 ft (2 m) tall. Space plants about 8 ft (2.4 m) apart so mature crowns don't crowd each other, and plant at least half that distance from buildings, fences and paths.

Planning a row or hedge? Try the tree spacing calculator.

Prune Weigela while it is dormant in late winter: first remove dead, damaged and crossing branches, then thin lightly for shape.

If it flowers in spring, prune right after flowering instead so you don't remove next year's buds. Never take off more than about a quarter of the tree in one year.

Water deeply in late autumn before the ground freezes, and spread a 5–8 cm (2–3 in) layer of mulch over the root zone, keeping it away from the trunk.

Young and container-grown trees need extra protection: roots in a pot freeze much more easily than roots in the ground.

Weigela can be propagated through softwood cuttings, hardwood cuttings.

See all plants toxic to cats and plants toxic to dogs.

Weigela is susceptible to aphids, spider mites, scale insects. Inspect the foliage regularly, especially along leaf undersides and stems. Treat infestations promptly with insecticidal soap or neem oil to prevent spread.

Yellow leaves, brown tips or drooping? See common plant problems and how to fix them.