I have Canyon Creek Abelia. I just love it. I have dried the blooms like you do with hydrangeas. It gets afternoon shade. Today it is 109 at my house in central TX. It is not wilted. It is smaller, 2 to 3 ft high.

Here is a link that might be useful: canyon creek

I love my Abelia. It was here when we moved in and it does everything you mention. I thinned out the older branches a couple of years ago because it wasn't blooming as well and looked less healthy than usual. I will probably do another third this year. It doesn't miss a beat and blooms all summer and sometimes into fall, although I haven't paid attention to it just lately (she says with great embarrassment).

I, too, have been considering using Abelias in an area that is too shady for sun loving plants and too sunny for shade lovers.
Molly

Yes I have Edward Goucher which has darker leaves and pink flowers (the flowers on abelias are small and not showy but the shrubs are great). I also have Frances Mason which has a yellowish cast to the foliage, I guess a little chartreuse and the flowers are lighter color and have more white but seem more prolific. All of mine are in shade/part shade. I have seen the Canyon Creek and would love to have them but nowhere to put them and don't want to get too heavy with abelias. Bees and butterflies come alot and they are trouble free.

Y'all are just helping to confirm the choice, lol.

I bought a white one last month. I love it! Always wanted one, and now I do! I planted it back behind my dwarf gardenias.
I'm sure you will love it.

Abelia would be great in your zone. Mine has been in for 15 years and I cut it back once about three years ago. It's blooming great this year when nothing else looks good. No extra care at all required. Stays green most winters, but will get a little sparse when really cold.

I have 2 Edward Gouchers. They are in shade and are blooming right now. Bees and butterflies love them. They are meant to have long arching stems so you just prune the "wild" ones unless you are rejuvenating. This makes maintenance easy. You will love them.

Plantmaven, I visited one nursery yesterday and all they had was Canyon Creek. They didn't look nearly as healthy as yours.

I'm surprised so many of you have them in shade. The local gardening guide I was reading says sun to part sun.

I really really like the Canyon Creek. Are you back in LA?
My house faces north and before you get to it there is a slow curve in the street. So my yard gets a lot of late afternoon sun.
I planted the abelia where it would get sun most of the day and be shaded by some yaupons in the late afternoon.
At my former house I had several glossy abelia in almost full shade, but not deep shade.

Mine are shaded from the late afternoon sun too. I live in the same town as plantmaven. Part sun is more than enough for them to grow, bloom, and look good most of the year.

Mine is white flowered and blooms all summer and fall. I love it and so do the hummingbirds. Great shrub!

I have 3 Edwards, and most of mine get morning shade. They also get 3-4 hours of afternoon sun. Is it true that they take a few years to get fully grown?