Please ID the flower from this shrub in my yard

14 years ago

Hi- Although I am a longtime NC resident, I recently moved to Asheville and would appreciate an ID for a flowering plant in my yard. It is about 5 feet tall and grows back easily from being cut back (last year). This is a spec house purchased 18 months ago, so I daresay it must be a pretty common plant. I'm loaded with hostas, boxwoods, and daylillies.

I'm including a pic of a small bunch of delicate tubular flowers which don't occur often. When they do bloom, they are usually hidden deep behind several leaves, so the blooms are hard to see. They have a sweet smell which is somewhere between lilac and honeysuckle. I'm not sure how to encourage this plant or when to expect blooms. Anybody know what it may be? Thank you in advance!

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Comments (6)

surrealgarden
Original Author
14 years ago
It seems my pic didn't go thru.
trianglejohn
14 years ago
maybe Weigela
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mbuckmaster
14 years ago
Agree with weigela...looks like the species, not a named variety.
surrealgarden
Original Author
14 years ago
You are absolutely right! I love this forum. Thank you to both gardeners for your help! I am totally unfamiliar with this plant.

I googled information and it seems that full sun encourages flowers for Weigela. My plant has had only 2-3 hidden clusters of flowers all season. I saw some shrubs which were totally covered in flowers on another website. I'd LOVE to see that happen in my yard. As it is, it is almost boring enough to take out and discard.

This plant is on the NW side of my home where it only receives morning sun due to shading, etc. It also receives the lions share of bitter wind during winter- if that matters. Do you think that moving it to FULL SUN is enough to encourage blooms?

I will fertilize. Do you have any other advice for nurturing it to its best? Thank you again in advance!
trianglejohn
14 years ago
They are easy to root from cuttings and they get pretty big in a few years if you'd rather do that than dig it up. I have about 5 different types of it in my garden and there are some that are very showy. They do have a better shape and more flowers in full sun.

They are also kinda cheap to buy so you might look around at your local garden center before you move this one.
mbuckmaster
14 years ago
They're tough shrubs and fairly carefree, so move if you like and it should be fine. Full sun will give more blooms without a doubt. I have trouble keeping mine in bounds...much pruning after bloom each spring. I also sometimes get a rebloom in the late fall. But I have improved named varieties as well; don't know if you'll have the same success. Good luck!