I've got a few different Abelias (Edward Goucher, Canyon Creek, Rose Creek, Mardi Gras) and they are all doing the same thing. I read that this is just what they do, and that you can either leave them or cut them off, I don't think it will hurt them. I haven't read any guide as to when to cut them off -- I would guess after flowering. I've left mine so far and like a non-sheared look as well, but some do look a little weird!

mayland -- Yeah, they definitely look a little strange right now! I love them though. Love the colors, love the little flowers, love the size/shape, etc.

Oh, i forgot to say, you could post this on the Shrubs forum too as they know their shrub stuff over there.

My Canyon Creek looks very nice as it has a few longer shoots, which have a nice arching shape with flowers at the end. The Ed Gouchers just look odd though, very random shoots with no graceful arch to them! Unfortunately a neighbor's cat took to sleeping on my Mardi Gras, and it was almost destroyed. I stuck holly leaves in the ground around it and the cat has found somewhere else to sleep, but it will need a while to recover!

I'm happy with them too. I needed some full-sun shrubs and I wanted something evergreen that would also flower. These fit the bill and have been easy to grow and seem to be coping well with the periods of heat/drought.

LOL (laughing about the cat sleeping on the shrub). Yeah, the KA shoots don't really arch gracefully. They stick straight up out of the casually rounded shrubs. Very weird. I guess I will cut them off. You are SO right about the heat/drought tolerance. I was annoyed when I got them in the ground and (literally) 2 days later, here come 100+ degree temps...in May. I was out there twice a day with pitchers of water just begging the poor things to do well. After a week or two of wilting every day at noon, they caught up and now they are just doing great. In fact, I'm surprised at how delicate they LOOK, but how tough they are turning out to be! They are in a big bed in front of my house, approaching (in a curve) an Autumn Blaze maple, from both sides. (Eventually, they will not be as colorful, in a few years when the maple starts providing more shade, but I actually like the yellow-green color just as well as I like the orangey-red color.) And, they are in front of a curve of Carissa hollies. They stand out beautifully.

MK87, I have the several Rose Creek Abelias which I love. They do the same thing yours are doing. When it first happened I looked it up and found it is common. Recommendation was to prune the offending branch or branches down to the lowest point of growth, rather than just shear them evenly with the rest of the plant. You can do this whenever you want to. It does not stop the odd growth entirely. If I prune them early in spring when the straight up tall growth starts, it usually takes care of the offending branches for the season. If others pop up, I prune them.

Walter Reeves has a Q&A about Little Richard Abelia doing the same thing. I posted a link for your reference

Here is a link that might be useful: Prune Abelia?

Thought I'd mention my use of those long errant stems. They make great plant props/supports. Just scootch off the leaves and insert first one end, then the other, into the soil, making a soft loop at the top. They don't root the way forsythia prunings do and last a long time.

opal52 -- Thanks! Appreciate the feedback and I will check out the link. I am at least glad they have done so well, having been planted in the crazy heat, but the shoots were a bit of a surprise.

rosiew -- Good idea! And, I wonder...because the KA branches are so pretty...how long they might last in a vase of water with an aspirin? Would certainly make a nice (free!) bouquet, since I have to do it to several of the shrubs!