Common name: Chinese abelia

Native to southern China, this flowering shrub grows 1 to 2 m (3 to 6 ft) tall and has long, cane-like branches that arch toward the ground, giving it a graceful, weeping, fountain-like shape.

The leaves are small and glossy green, remaining on the plant year-round in a close, compact arrangement along the branches. The flowers are trumpet-shaped, white-and-pink-tinted, and sweetly fragrant. They bloom in showy clusters on new growth from spring to summer.

Environmental use

Flowering ornamental - Abelia chinensis is commonly cultivated as a flowering ornamental.

Hedge plant - Also grown as a hedge.

Butterfly attractant - Its nectar-rich flowers attract butterflies to the garden.

Hummingbird attractant - Also attracts hummingbirds.

Material uses

Cut-foliage - The long, slim, cane-like branches with compact foliage are harvested as cut foliage.

Floral arrangement - Popular in tall floral arrangements.

Climate

Grows and flowers reliably in moderately humid subtropical and tropical mid- to high-elevation climates, generally areas with annual lows of 10 to 18°C, annual highs of 20 to 27°C, annual rainfall of 900 to 2000 mm and a dry season of 5 months or less. It also grows well in cool-temperate regions and tolerates frost.

Growing

New plants are usually grown from tip cuttings taken in the warm, humid months when the plant is actively growing.

It grows well in a wide range of free-draining, moderately acid to slightly alkaline soils, generally with a pH of 6.5 to 7.5 and on sites with full to partial sun exposure.

Problem features

No known weed risk or other problematic features are associated with growing this plant.

Books

• Church, G. & Greenfield, P. 2002, Trees and shrubs for fragrance, David Bateman, Auckland, New Zealand

• Macmillan, H. F. 1943, Tropical planting and gardening : with special reference to Ceylon, 5th ed, Macmillan Publishing, London

• Oakman, H. 1981, Tropical and subtropical gardening, 2nd ed., Jacaranda Wiley Publications, Milton, Queensland

• Oakman, H. 1995, Harry Oakman's what flowers when : the complete guide to flowering times in tropical and subtropical gardens, University of Queensland Press, St. Lucia, Queensland

• Randall, R. P. 2007, The introduced flora of Australia and its weed status, Cooperative Research Centre for Australian Weed Management, Glen Osmond, South Australia