Weigela hortensis
Taxonomy and growth
- Family
- Caprifoliaceae
- Genus
- Weigela
- Life cycle
- perennial
- Foliage
- deciduous
- Woodiness
- woody
- Flower type
- hermaphrodite
Uses
Edible uses
Young leaves - cooked[1][3]. A famine food, they are only used when all else fails. A tea is made from the leaves[3].
- Plant part
- Leaves
- Product or use
- Tea
Environment
- Range
- E. Asia - C. and N. Japan.
- Habitat
- Common on sunny hills and mountains at elevations of 20 - 1800 metres[7].
- Light
- full sun
- Shade tolerance
- light shade
- Water
- moderate
- Hardiness
- Zone 7+
- Soil textures
- sandy, loamy, clay
- Soil pH
- acid, neutral, alkaline
- Drainage
- well drained
- Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
- No
- Drought
- intolerant
Propagation
Seed - we have no information for this species but suggest sowing the seed in a cold frame as soon as it is ripe if this is possible, otherwise in late winter or early spring. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer. Softwood basal cuttings, 10 - 12cm long, in a sandy soil in a cold frame in early summer[5]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 8 - 10 cm with a heel, July/August in a frame[5]. Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth. 20 cm long, November in a sheltered outdoor nursery bed[5].
Cultivation
An easily grown plant, succeeding in most fertile soils[2][5]. Prefers a moist well-drained soil in sun or partial shade[5]. Tolerates atmospheric pollution[5]. Plants are very floriferous and can exhaust themselves, literally flowering themselves to death. The flowers are borne in the leaf nodes of the previous years growth and any pruning is therefore best done as soon as the plant has finished flowering[4]. The flowers have a soft sweet perfume[6]. Closely related to W. japonica[2]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[5].
References
Tanaka. T. Tanaka's Cyclopaedia of Edible Plants of the World. Keigaku Publishing 1976-00-00
Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00
Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169
Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos. Murray 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-5043-2
Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. 1994-00-00 ISBN 0-7090-5440-8
Flora of Japan www.foj.info