Choosing the Best Companion Plants for Your Weigela

Among the many low-maintenance varieties of garden shrubs, weigela shrub has emerged as the preferred choice. Also called the Red Prince Weigela, Weigela Florida, or the Red Prince, this shrub is unique in providing the most exotic foliage. It produces brightly-colored flowers in the backdrop of dark-green leaves.

Weigela varieties have an elongated blooming season, extending from late spring, through the entire summer and autumn season. Being very easy-to-grow and popular for producing thick clusters of flowers, weigela shrubs are ideal for most garden settings. Weigela shrubs grow up to five-feet tall and they are often used for landscaping the garden floor. Due to their compact growth pattern and easy pruning, weigelas are preferred for marking floral borders along raised garden beds and sloping areas.

Choosing Companion Plants For Weigela

Each variety of the weigela plant has a slightly different appearance. These traits should be considered when choosing a companion plant for a weigela. You can consider planting azaleas like honeysuckles as a companion plant for most weigelas. Honeysuckles have large, pouting tubular flowers that complement the low-lying, dense appearance of weigela shrubs.

Polka

This is a common, garden variety of the weigela in dry areas. It is popular for the characteristic pink shade of its seasonal bloom. Growing to about three to five feet, the Polka weigela is perfect for gardens that need a perennial green cover. Weigela Polkas develop thick, green-colored foliage, along with pink-edged flowers during the late summer season. These should be combined with other perennials that bloom during the summer season. Echinacea plants, particularly Cone Flowers and some varieties of Leucanthemums like the Shasta Daisies are suited for this purpose. These plants have large flower heads that create a bouquet-like effect in the backdrop of a dark-green weigela spread. You can also use plants like the Gypsophila or the Russian Sage but these flowers have a slightly shorter blooming season.

Wine & Roses

This shrub presents a glossy, purple-shaded foliage and pink flowers that bloom throughout the summer. Some popular sub-varieties include the Weigela ‘Midnight Wine’ that has a much darker foliage with a slightly purple hue. The dark, velvety backdrop created by this weigela variety is best complemented by yellow flowers of the Zagreb Coreopsis. You can also consider the Variegated Moor Grass for its contrasting, cream-colored foliage. Similarly, the white variety of Bell Heath can be grown as a companion plant for creating a contrasting effect.

Rumba

This weigela variety is very sturdy, being able to tolerate most soil types and climatic changes. It provides a much shorter shrub, i.e. about three-feet tall. However, its foliage is among the most beautiful of the weigela varieties, complete with a bronze tint and dark-maroon flowers. Planting rhododendrons is recommended as the rhododendron family has many dwarf varieties like the Spiraeas and Potentillas. These make perfect partners for this low-growing weigela variety.

You can also grow some common shrubs like the Crimson Pygmy or the Henry's Garnet to lend a denser appearance to the weigela shrub. If you want to use the Weigela Rumba for establishing a ground cover, combine it with fast-spreading plants of the Dianthus family like Bath's Pink or the Mountain Mist.