Shrub · Caprifoliaceae
Glossy Abelia
Abelia × grandiflora
Give it sun and well-drained soil, and glossy abelia blooms from late spring until frost with almost no fuss.
Full sun
Every 5–10 days
USDA 6–9
2–8 ft · 0.8–2.4 m
Overview
Glossy abelia is a tough, easygoing shrub that earns its keep in a hard-working garden. It carries small, scented flowers from late spring right through to the first frost, and its arching stems give a bed soft movement. The plant takes its name from leaves that hold a clean, glossy shine through much of the year.
This is a shrub for USDA zones 6 to 9, happy in full sun and forgiving of part shade. It grows at a steady, moderate pace to somewhere between 2.5 to 8 feet (76 to 244 cm) tall, with a spread that can reach 6 feet. Once it settles in, it shrugs off dry spells and asks for very little.
Abelia rewards a beginner without demanding much in return. It flowers on new wood, so a single spring trim keeps it tidy and blooming. Many of the named forms close the year with fall color, when the foliage shifts toward orange and red before winter.
Care
The short version: full sun to part shade, soil that drains well and holds some organic matter, water while it establishes and during dry spells, and one pruning in late winter or early spring.
Light
Abelia does best in full sun, where it sets the most flowers and keeps its dense shape. It will take partial sun and even partial shade, though bloom and fall color soften as the light drops. Aim for a bright, open spot.
Water
Keep the soil moist while the plant is putting down roots, then ease off as it settles in. Once established, abelia is drought tolerant and needs water only every 5 to 10 days, more in a dry spell. A deep soak during dry weather gives you the best bloom.
Soil
Plant in moist, well-drained loam, clay, or sand with some organic matter worked in. A pH of 5.5 to 7.5 covers most garden ground, so the soil rarely needs adjusting. One caution: abelia will not tolerate salty soils.
Temperature
This shrub handles a wide swing of weather, from about -9°F to 95°F (-23°C to 35°C). That range matches USDA zones 6 to 9 and lets it stand up to both summer heat and a cold winter. In the coldest zones, a sheltered spot helps it through.
Humidity
Ordinary outdoor humidity suits abelia, so there's no figure to chase. Air movement matters more than the moisture level, since still, damp air around crowded plants is what invites gray mold. Give each shrub room to breathe.
Feeding
Feed once a year with a balanced slow-release fertilizer or a layer of compost in early spring. That single seasonal feeding carries the plant through its long bloom. There's no need to push it with extra nitrogen, which only flushes soft growth that pests prefer.
Pruning
Abelia blooms on new wood, so prune in late winter or early spring before growth starts. For an overgrown plant, it takes hard rejuvenation pruning down to about 12 inches (30 cm) of the ground once spring growth begins. Avoid cutting from late fall through mid-winter, which invites cold injury.
Repotting
As a garden shrub, abelia is rarely repotted and prefers to stay in the ground. If you do grow one in a container, move it up a size when roots circle the pot or push through the drainage holes. Water running straight through with little uptake is another sign it has outgrown its home.
Size & spacing
Plants reach 2.5 to 8 feet (76 to 244 cm) tall with a spread of 3 to 6 feet (91 to 183 cm). Give each shrub room to fill out so air moves freely around it, which keeps gray mold from taking hold in damp weather.
When to plant
Abelia goes in the ground during the mild stretches of the year. Plant in spring or fall once the danger of hard frost has passed, and the roots settle before summer heat or winter cold. From there the flowers carry on from late spring until frost, a long show for so little work.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Plant: Spring or fall after danger of hard frost has passed.
- Harvest: Late spring through fall (roughly May until frost).
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 6–9
Temperature: down to -23°C
Troubleshooting
Glossy abelia stays healthy with little trouble, and the few issues it does meet are easy to read. Most of them trace back to cold winters, damp crowded air, or a flush of soft new growth. Match what you see below, then step in before a small problem spreads.
Stems killed back and few flowers after a cold winter
This is winter dieback, and it shows up in colder zones where the shrub sits at the edge of its range. Hard pruning done from late fall into mid-winter makes the cold injury worse. Scratch the bark in spring, and if the wood under it is brown and dry, cut those dead stems back to live wood or to the ground once growth starts. Since abelia flowers on new wood, the plant still blooms that same season.
Fix:
- Prune dead stems back to live wood or to the ground when spring growth begins
- Since it blooms on new wood, plants flower the same season after spring cutback
Gray, fuzzy spots on the flowers and soft new growth
This is Botrytis, a gray mold that takes hold in damp, crowded conditions with little air movement. You will see fuzzy gray-brown patches on faded blooms and tender shoots. Pull off the affected flowers and stems, then open the plant up by thinning and giving it more room to breathe.
Fix:
- Remove and discard affected blooms and stems
- Improve air circulation by thinning and spacing plants
Curled new growth with a sticky film
The culprit is aphids, which now and then feed on the soft new shoots. Check the shoot tips and leaf undersides for clusters of small soft-bodied insects and the sticky honeydew they leave behind. A hard spray of water knocks most of them off, and insecticidal soap handles anything that lingers. Abelia shrugs off pests as a rule, so this rarely amounts to much.
Fix:
- Dislodge aphids with a strong spray of water
- Treat persistent infestations with insecticidal soap
Toxicity
Good news for households with pets and young children: glossy abelia is non-toxic. It does not appear on ASPCA toxic-plant references and is treated as safe around cats and dogs. As with any plant, a large mouthful of leaves might cause mild stomach upset, but nothing about this shrub calls for special care.
Safe for
People · Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds
Cats Safe
Cats can brush past or nibble a leaf without any harm, since glossy abelia is non-toxic to them.
Dogs Safe
Dogs are safe around this shrub, and a stray chew on the foliage causes nothing to worry about.
Horses Safe
Horses face no poisoning risk from abelia in the pasture or along a fence line.
Rabbits Safe
Rabbits are fine near the plant, though leafy greens of any kind should stay a small part of their diet.
Livestock Safe
Cattle, goats, and sheep can graze nearby without any threat of poisoning from the shrub.
Birds Safe
Pet birds and backyard poultry can share a garden with abelia with nothing to fear.
People Safe
The shrub is safe to plant where children and curious toddlers play and explore outdoors.
No special handling required; large quantities of any plant material may cause mild stomach upset.
Varieties
Several named forms of abelia bring their own twist on flower color, foliage, and shape. These are the ones worth knowing before you choose.
Rose Creek
A compact, mounding form that carries pink-tinged flowers above reddish stems.
Kaleidoscope
Its variegated golden-and-green foliage turns a fiery orange-red once fall arrives.
Edward Goucher
A related hybrid with lavender-pink flowers held on a graceful arching habit.
Prostrata
A low, spreading form that hugs the ground like a loose groundcover.
How to propagate
Abelia is one of the easier shrubs to copy at home, and a single plant can give you several more from cuttings taken over the warm months.
Stem cuttingsEasy
Take softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings in late spring through summer. · Roughly 35 to 70 days to root depending on temperature.
Abelia roots from cuttings with little fuss. Take softwood or semi-hardwood cuttings from late spring through summer, and warm conditions near 80°F to 86°F (27°C to 30°C) push roots in about 35 to 50 days. In cooler spots it runs longer, closer to 70 days, so keep the cuttings warm and patient for the best strike.
Myths
Glossy abelia is poisonous to dogs and cats.
Abelia is not listed on ASPCA toxic-plant references and is treated as non-toxic to both cats and dogs. As with any plant, a big mouthful might bring on mild stomach upset. The shrub is safe to grow where pets roam.
You must prune abelia in fall to keep its size in check.
Abelia flowers on new wood, so the right window to prune is late winter or early spring. Cutting it back from late fall through mid-winter only opens the stems to cold injury. Wait until spring growth begins, and you keep both the shape and the bloom.