Top 5 Weigela Shrubs for Pollinators

Smothered in drifts of trumpet-shaped blooms, Weigela Shrubs come in a wide variety of foliage and flower colors, are easy to grow, and are beneficial for Pollinators and Hummingbirds!

Check out the Top 5 of our favorite Weigela bushes that showcase the range of sizes, colors, and forms this fantastic plant family has available for your landscape!

All About Weigela
Top 5 Weigela Shrubs!
Wonderful Weigela Shrubs!

All About Weigela

Weigela has been used in Chinese gardens as a hedge plant since at least the third century! Native throughout Northern China, Korea, and Japan, today's plant scientists have been hard at work to develop the Weigela's many worthy attributes!

These flowering ornamental deciduous shrubs are members of the Honeysuckle family and grow in a wide range of USDA planting zones 4 to 8.

Weigela (pronounced "wy-gee-la") is a high-performance flowering shrub, with long-lasting flowering displays that bring a bright pop of happy color in full sun and partial shade.

Long, wide-mouthed, tube-shaped flower corollas adorn the length of the arched branches. The blooms are held in cute inflorescent clusters called corymbs. Many Weigela bushes bloom from May to June, but this genus has seen exciting improvements in worthy plant attributes, including reblooming varieties like the Sonic Bloom® Weigelas!

Pretty, petite, narrowly ovate leaves are held in tiered clusters along the branches. They are usually green and lustrous with a noteworthy mid-rib for texture. But now many newer varieties include black, purple, chartreuse, maroon, and even several types of variegated foliage options!

Size-wise, larger Weigela top out at 5-6 feet in height and 5-6 feet in width, but dwarf forms are available that grow only 12-18 inches tall and 2 feet wide, making them ideal for container gardening!

Top 5 Weigela Shrubs!

On to the Top 5 selections that best showcase the wide range of the Weigela!

#5 Electric Love® Weigela

At number 5, the carmine-red summer blooms of the Electric Love® Weigela (Weigela x 'ZR1') add contrast against the dark bronzy-purple foliage that holds its color all growing season long! The dark foliage and itty-bitty clusters of red flowers are a dramatic contrast and are sure to add showy formality to garden beds and borders of any size.

Bold Red Flower Clusters
Dark Bronzy-Purple to Burgundy Foliage
Pollinator & Hummingbird-Friendly
Summer Blooming Small Compact Shrub
Containers, Edging, Small Space Gardening & Borders

Electric Love® stays naturally small and space-saving, only reaching 1-2 feet in height and a bit wider at maturity! This Blooming Easy® selection more than makes up for its size with its sheer flower and foliage color combination!

#4 Proven Winners® Wine & Roses® Weigela

The number 4 pick is a Winner of the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society Gold Medal. A stunner that is completely smothered in bright, rosy wine-red blooms, the Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Wine & Roses® Weigela (Weigela florida 'Alexandra') has new spring growth that emerges in a shade of purple so deep that it almost looks black. Wine & Roses® flowers pop against the near-black, dark purple foliage.

Dark Purple Foliage & Rosy-Pink Flowers in Spring & Summer
Graceful Growth Habit 4-5 feet Rounded Form
Beautiful in Cut Flower Arrangements
Attracts Butterflies & Hummingbirds
Include in Modern Foundation Plantings, Borders, Backdrops & Specimens
Growing Zones 4-8

The colorful shrub blooms in the spring and continues to rebloom sporadically well into fall! Try using several of the colorful branches in flower arrangements. Be sure to start cutting them as soon as the pink buds begin to show in spring. Check out the entire Proven Winners® Wine® Weigela line, including Spilled Wine®, Midnight Wine®, and Fine Wine® for a gorgeous mixture of dark cabernet-colored foliage options!

#3 Tuxedo™ Weigela

At number 3, the Tuxedo™ Weigela (Weigela x 'Velda') will add some formal attire to the garden! This Weigela goes black tie with pure white flowers and nearly-black, super dark, purplish-green leaves! Then it adds the bonus of being fragrant! Mid-sized, these oval shrubs do as well in the sun and blend into any style garden and any color palette! Growing 4-5 feet in height and about 3-4 feet wide, Tuxedo™ flowers in the late spring but continues reblooming well into the autumn months.

Deep, Dark Foliage
Pure White Flowers Bloom In Spring & Rebloom Through Fall
Fragrant Blooms Attract Butterflies & Hummingbirds
Tidy, Compact Shrub!
Grows 4 - 5 feet Tall & 3 - 4 feet Wide
Dramatic Hedges, Specimens, Backdrops, Planters & Accents
Growing Zones 4-8

Imagine having a foundation planting or screening hedge of Tuxedo™ Weigela, which looks fantastic against gray, white, or stone-clad homes! So classy and formal!

#2 Red Prince Weigela

At number two, the rosy red flowers of the Red Prince Weigela (Weigela florida 'Red Prince') are a real breakthrough; the phenomenal number of red flowers on this shrub in late spring is truly astounding. Red Prince is often mistaken for an Azalea when the bright petals show up in the summer! Then, you and your pollinators will be amazed as more blooms reappear in the fall! The dark green leaves grow into a dense, rounded 4-6 feet tall and wide form!

Bright Rosy Scarlet-Red Blooms
Reblooms Again In Fall
Lush Green Foliage & 4-6 Foot Round Form
Very Showy Color Contrast
Wonderful Hedges, Privacy, Specimens & Backdrops
Cold Hardy USDA Zones 4-8

Red Prince would make an outstanding shrub border along the side of your house. They'll also make the perfect untrimmed hedge to screen your patio from a neighbor! This cold-hardy shrub is a flower factory in full-sun front or backyard gardens.

#1 Proven Winners® ColorChoice® My Monet® Weigela

Our number one pick will amaze you with its tri-tone variegated leaves and bright raspberry-pink flowers! A dwarf Weigela, the Proven Winners® ColorChoice® My Monet® (Weigela florida 'Verweig') will knock your socks off with its colorful presence and showy green and white form with pink highlights! Cold-hardy, these flowering powerhouses stay a nice and compact 18 inches tall and 2 feet wide! Low maintenance and container-ready, My Monet® is an impressionist’s work of art in raspberry, green, and vanilla!

Dwarf Compact Weigela
Incredible Green, Pink & White Variegated Foliage
Soft Raspberry Pink Flowers
Grows Just 12 - 18 inches Tall & 18 - 24 inches Wide
Gorgeous In Containers, as Facer Plants, Edging, Specimens & Borders!
Growing Zones 4-6

As an added bonus, the Proven Winners® My Monet® line includes the My Monet® Sunset with colorful pink and red-tinted variegated leaves, and My Monet® Purple Effect with violet-pink flowers and variegated leaves. Collect them all for your garden!

Wonderful Weigela Shrubs!

Easy to grow and never troublesome in the landscape, the well-behaved Weigela has something for everyone!

If you’d like to know more about caring for Weigela, check our #ProPlantTips blog! We have all the tips and tricks for keeping your Weigela shrubs happy, healthy, and blooming all season long!

Happy Planting!

Frequently Asked Questions

Are weigela evergreen?

No, weigela are deciduous shrubs that lose their leaves in winter. These members of the Honeysuckle family are hardy in USDA zones 4-8 and feature beautiful foliage in colors ranging from green to purple, chartreuse, and variegated patterns that provide seasonal interest before dropping in fall. While they aren't evergreen, weigela offer long-lasting trumpet-shaped blooms from May to June, with some reblooming varieties extending the display. Choose weigela for their spectacular flowering performance and attractive summer foliage rather than year-round greenery.

What is a weigela plant?

A weigela is a deciduous flowering shrub native to Northern China, Korea, and Japan that belongs to the Honeysuckle family and thrives in USDA zones 4-8. These high-performance shrubs produce trumpet-shaped blooms in corymb clusters along arched branches from May to June, with newer reblooming varieties extending the flowering season. Weigelas range from dwarf varieties at 12-18 inches tall to full-size shrubs reaching 5-6 feet in both height and width. Choose weigelas for reliable color in full sun to partial shade locations where you want to attract pollinators and hummingbirds.

Do weigela bloom all summer?

Most weigela varieties bloom from May to June, not all summer long. However, newer reblooming varieties like the Sonic Bloom® series will produce flowers throughout the growing season with proper care. These improved cultivars thrive in zones 4-8 and benefit from deadheading spent blooms to encourage continued flowering. For extended color, choose reblooming varieties and provide consistent moisture during hot summer months.

Does weigela need full sun?

Weigela thrives in both full sun and partial shade conditions, making it a versatile choice for various garden locations. These hardy shrubs perform well across USDA zones 4-8 and produce their best flowering displays when they receive at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight daily. For optimal bloom production and compact growth, plant weigela in full sun locations, though they will tolerate some afternoon shade in hotter climates.

Can weigela grow in full sun?

Yes, weigela thrives in full sun and produces the best flowering displays with at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily. These hardy shrubs also tolerate partial shade conditions, making them versatile for various landscape positions in USDA zones 4-8. For optimal bloom production and vibrant foliage color, plant your weigela in a sunny location with well-draining soil.

Can weigela grow in shade?

Weigela shrubs perform well in both full sun and partial shade conditions across USDA zones 4-8. While they tolerate shade, weigelas produce the most abundant blooms and strongest growth when planted in full sun locations. In partial shade, expect slightly fewer flowers but still excellent performance from these adaptable shrubs. For best results, choose a site with at least 4-6 hours of direct sunlight daily.

Does weigela lose its leaves in winter?

Yes, weigela loses its leaves in winter since it's a deciduous shrub. As a member of the Honeysuckle family hardy in USDA zones 4-8, weigela will drop its foliage each fall and remain dormant through winter before leafing out again in spring. The timing varies by location, but expect leaf drop after the first hard frost in your area. Plan your landscape design knowing that weigela provides seasonal interest through flowers and foliage during the growing season, then offers attractive branch structure during winter months.

Are weigela perennials?

Weigela are deciduous flowering shrubs, not perennials. These woody plants grow 12 inches to 6 feet tall depending on variety and are hardy in USDA zones 4-8. Unlike herbaceous perennials that die back to the ground each winter, weigela maintain their woody structure year-round and bloom on established branches from May to June. Choose weigela when you want a permanent flowering shrub that returns reliably each spring with minimal maintenance.

When to prune a weigela bush?

Prune weigela bushes immediately after their main bloom period ends in late June to early July, since they flower on old wood from the previous year's growth. Remove up to one-third of the oldest canes at ground level and lightly shape the remaining branches to maintain the natural arching form. Avoid fall or early spring pruning, which will eliminate next year's flower buds and reduce blooming performance.

How big does a weigela get?

Weigela shrubs vary significantly in size, with larger varieties reaching 5-6 feet tall and wide, while dwarf forms stay compact at just 12-18 inches tall and 2 feet wide. This size range makes them versatile for different landscape needs, from foundation plantings to borders. Choose dwarf varieties for containers or small spaces, and full-size weigelas for hedging or specimen plantings in USDA zones 4-8.

Our Top 5 Favorite Weigela Shrubs!

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