Glossy Abelia

Glossy abelia is a dense, mounding semi-evergreen shrub between three and six feet tall with arching branches that carry small, funnel-shaped flowers flushed white to pink from midsummer well into fall. The flowers are not dramatic individually, but in aggregate they create a soft, continuous show that outlasts nearly every other flowering shrub in the landscape. The persistent reddish sepals hold on after the petals drop, extending visual interest into early winter. Native to a hybrid cross of Chinese species (A. chinensis x A. uniflora), it has been in cultivation since the mid-nineteenth century.

Glossy abelia tolerates a wide range of conditions: clay-heavy soils, variable moisture, and partial shade cast by buildings or larger trees. It handles full sun to part shade without fuss. The semi-evergreen foliage holds through mild winters, dropping only during hard freezes. Pollinators, particularly bumblebees and hummingbirds, work the flowers heavily through the late-season bloom window when little else is flowering. Pruning in late winter keeps the form tidy; the shrub blooms on new wood. Several cultivars offer variation in size and foliage color, including 'Kaleidoscope' (compact, variegated), 'Edward Goucher' (lavender-pink flowers), and 'Rose Creek' (dwarf form).