Abelia

Origin. Southeast Asia, Korea, China, grows on open rocky slopes.

Description - what abelia looks like. About 30 deciduous and evergreen multi-stemmed ornamental flowering shrubs and many hybrids are known.

Abelia are ornamental deciduous in harsh climates or evergreen in mild climates shrubs with densely pubescent branches, bred for their beautiful and fragrant flowers and long and abundant flowering.

The leaves are simple, ovate, oppositely arranged in whorls of three, shiny, dark green, 1.5 - 8 cm long, on short petioles. In autumn they turn bronze-purple.

Flowers appear in the upper axils of the leaves and ends of the stem, the inflorescence - panicle contains 1 - 8 bell-shaped flowers, with five-lobed corollas, 1 - 5 cm long, and, as a rule, fragrant. The plant produces the most intense honey aroma in the evening. The flowers often exceed the leaf blades in size.

The plant was named after the naturalist Clark Abel from Great Britain who discovered it. 

An interesting feature is that the aroma of the flowers varies among different varieties - some smell very intensely of lilac, while others emit a very light, barely noticeable sweetish aroma - for example, Abelia variegata. 

Dimensions of abelia domestica. The height and diameter of the bush can reach from 1 to 2 meters.

Dwarf plants have been bred specifically for keeping at home.

Reproduction

Propagated by green and mature cuttings 10 - 15 cm long at the beginning or end of summer. The most suitable temperature for rooting is considered to be between 18 and 20 degrees Celsius.

Young plants are covered with glass or transparent plastic to maintain uniform humidity and placed in a warm place without direct sunlight. The rooting period lasts 3 - 5 weeks and not all cuttings take root.

Plants often form basal suckers - they are separated when they have a sufficiently developed root system and planted in separate containers.

For those who have the patience and desire to look at the full development cycle of a plant, propagation by seeds is possible. Seeds are planted in spring in loose, well-moistened nutrient soil.

Only fresh seeds have the greatest germination rate. Plants obtained from seeds can bloom in the first year of life.

Abelia was introduced to England by Robert Fortune, a Scottish botanist in 1844. 

Diseases and pests

Anthracnose, spotting, root rot. Powdery mildew occurs when plants are kept cool and there is insufficient air movement. The bush rots when overwatered. At the first signs of damage, treat the stems and leaves with an antifungal agent.

Abelia domestica does not bloom in the absence of light. A sharp change in temperature can provoke heavy leaf fall. When grown in alkaline soil, plants slow down their development and suffer from chlorosis.

Among the pests, abelia is attacked by aphids, thrips, scale insects and spider mites, and mealybugs. 

When does abelia indoors bloom?

This plant has a very long flowering period, from about mid-spring to mid-autumn.

Abelia - care at home

Growing indoors

It does not tolerate pruning well, the crown in the lower part is exposed, so it is often possible to remove only old and diseased shoots. You can trim the branches in the spring in such a way that there are awakened buds under the cut site - the young shoots that appear will delight you with abundant flowering in the coming season.

Old plants can be rejuvenated by pruning. For pruning, you should use only a sharp, sterile instrument.

The plant will appreciate being in the fresh air during the warm season - just take care of shelter from rain, direct rays of the sun and strong winds.

With the onset of cold nights, bring the flower indoors, treating it with pest repellents. Do not place abelias near heating appliances. 

Soil for abelia

It is unpretentious to soil conditions, but responds well to soil with a slightly acidic pH. Prefers well-drained soils, although it can grow in heavy clay soils. A soil mixture of turf, leaves, with the addition of peat, sand and humus. Adding finely chopped pine bark and pine needles to the soil helps maintain an acidic pH.

Containment temperature

The optimal temperature in summer is from 20 to 25 ° C, wintering is quite cool - 10 - 14 ° C, but can tolerate warmer wintering. 

Lighting

Abelia domestica loves full sun, but can also grow in partial shade. Avoid direct sunlight on plants during the daytime in spring and summer. 

Feeding abelia

Fertilizing is carried out twice a month in spring and summer, when the plant is actively developing. During the winter dormant period, feeding of abelia is stopped so that the bush regains its strength for subsequent flowering. Abelia reacts positively to both organic and mineral fertilizers. 

Spraying 

The flower can grow without spraying, in the dry air of residential premises. Abelia does not tolerate cold drafts, but loves well-ventilated areas. 

Watering abelia

Indoor plants are quite demanding of moisture; in spring and summer, frequent and abundant watering is required, which is reduced in winter. Young plants especially need timely watering, as they are actively forming a root system. Adult specimens of abelia have a certain drought resistance. 

Transplant

Shrubs are planted in fresh soil approximately once a year - in the spring, with the beginning of new growth. Abelia grows very quickly and fills the volume of the pot. When replanting, carefully inspect the root system and trim damaged roots if necessary.

For planting, select a pot with large drainage holes; for young plants, the volume of the container is gradually increased every year. 

Purpose

Plants are used in single and group plantings, when decorating edges, creating ridges and borders. Sometimes used as a hanging plant - in a flower pot it is a large spreading bush with drooping branches. In temperate climates, it successfully winters in open ground, but this requires deep planting.

Note

To maintain the graceful shape of the bush, selective pruning is possible. With age, the plant often becomes loose and exposes the lower part of the stems - such specimens are replaced with new, young bushes. Some varieties are able to grow in the middle zone with shelter for the winter in the form of fallen leaves or spruce branches. 

Types of abelia: 

Abelia shumannii

      A shrub about 2 m high with pink-lilac tubular flowers, begins to bloom in June and blooms until October. The buds of this shrub fascinate with a strong and pleasant smell. This abelia has small, leathery fruits with one seed. 

Large-branched Abelia or grandiflora

Abelia grandiflora is a round, prostrate, multi-stemmed shrub with gracefully arched branches. The leaves are oppositely located, ovate, shiny, dark green, on a short petiole or without it at all. The flowers are fragrant, white-pink, bell-shaped or tubular, quite numerous, bloom continuously from May to September. The height of the bush is up to 180 cm. The inflorescence is an apical panicle of white, funnel-shaped, fragrant flowers located at the ends of the branches, blooms profusely.

Abelia coreana

Grows on rocky slopes, cliffs, among bushes, in the forests of the Russian Far East (southern part), northwestern China and Korea. Shrub a. Korean grows slowly and reaches a height of 1 to 2.5 meters, has elongated ovate or lanceolate leaves 2.5 - 6.5 cm long and 1 - 3.5 cm wide. The flowers are tubular, rather small - about 2 cm. Blooms in June for three weeks to a month.

Abelia chinensis

An attractive multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with very abundant and long-lasting flowering - starting in July, flowering can last until September. Young shoots may have short but very dense pubescence. The leaves are green, ovate, leaf blades with small teeth along the edge. The flowers are white, very fragrant, tubular, with pink bracts, collected in inflorescences - umbrellas. The flowering is so abundant that the stems can bend under the weight of the buds. 

Abelia "Kaleidoscope"

This variety was recently bred and belongs to the large-flowered type. A distinctive feature of this species is the extremely varied color of the foliage - young spring leaves have a light green tint, over time they darken a little, and in summer they become golden yellow. In autumn, the plant decorates itself with a bright purple outfit. The center of the leaf blade is usually dark in color - for example, brown. The flowers are large, fragrant, white or slightly pinkish.

Abelia corymbosa

A small shrub with a lush, rounded crown formed by many thin and flexible shoots. The leaves are dark green, hard, leaf blades with small teeth along the edge. The flowers are white or pink, tubular, with 5 rounded petals, fragrant, collected in large inflorescences - corymbs. 

Abelia "Edward Goucher"

The shrub is distinguished by a very long flowering period and the color of the buds - they can be pink and even burgundy. Young leaves that appear at the tops of the stems are copper-brown, while adults have a dark green color, which changes to a bronze hue in the fall. 

Abelia mosanensis

The plant with the earliest flowering among abelias. Flowers with a pleasant jasmine scent, soft pink, tubular, collected in large inflorescences. The leaves are green, lanceolate, slightly bent along the central vein, the leaf blades are glossy. It is considered the most frost-resistant species.