Weigela

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iWeigela
Weigela florida
Weigela florida
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Dipsacales
Family: Caprifoliaceae
Genus: Weigela
Species

About 10 species; see text

Weigela is a small genus of about 10 species of deciduous shrubs in the family Caprifoliaceae, growing to 1-5 m tall. All are natives of eastern Asia.

The leaves are 5-15 cm long, ovate-oblong with an acuminate tip, and with a serrated margin. The flowers are 2-4 cm long, with a five-lobed white, pink, or red (rarely yellow) corolla, produced in small corymbs of several together in early summer. The fruit is a dry capsule containing numerous small winged seeds.

Weigela species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Brown-tail.

Species
  • Weigela coraeensis
  • Weigela decora
  • Weigela floribunda
  • Weigela florida
  • Weigela hortensis
  • Weigela japonica
  • Weigela maximowiczii
  • Weigela middendorfiana
  • Weigela praecox

[edit] Cultivation

Several of the species are very popular ornamental shrubs in gardens, although species have been mostly superseded by hybrids (crosses between W.florida and other Asiatic species).