Tips for Growing Wine & Roses Weigela

The Wine & Roses Weigela is a very attractive deciduous shrub. Its round shape, dark burgundy leaves, and spectacular burgundy and white flowers make it a favorite of landscapers and gardeners. It can reach an average height of between four to six feet tall, with a similar spread. This weigela grows best in hardiness zones four through eight and produces blooms in May and June of each year.

1. Give Your Weigela Room to Grow

While the Wine & Roses Weigela has a slow to moderate growth rate, it will eventually spread out to be as wide as it is tall. It is recommended that you space your shrubs at least three feet apart to accommodate for their size early on.

2. Use the Right Soil

This variety of weigela needs soil that is both extremely fertile and well-drained. If you are planting your shrub in heavy or loamy soil, you need to monitor its moisture content. You need to avoid water logging these soils, as it can lead to root and step rot.

3. Full Sun Is Best

While the Wine & Roses Weigela can be grown in both partial shade and full sun, it is best to grow it in full sun. This will encourage the plant to produce leaves and flowers with more vibrant colors, which will in turn be more effective for attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.

4. Prune to Shape Your Weigela

Pruning is important for managing your plant. You will want to prune the weigela in late summer, removing any twiggy growth that sticks out from the round shape you are trying to achieve. Generally, little pruning is needed during the first few years of the Wine & Roses Weigela’s life. However, as this shrub matures it will need more pruning and attention.

5. Transplant with Care

Like many other deciduous shrubs it is best to wait until the fall or early spring to transplant your weigela. You need to avoid moving your shrub when it is in bloom or when it is actively supporting its leaf system. Transplanting during these times can put the plant in shock and could lead to growth problems or even death.

When transplanting your Wine & Roses Weigela, you will want to leave plenty of dirt around the root ball. Make sure your transplant hole is as deep and wide as the root ball that you dug, and the backfill the hole with fertile garden soil that has a consistency that will encourage draining. Soak the tree and support it with both fertilizer and water during its establishment period, and keep weeds, pets and pests away from the freshly transplanted bush so that it doesn’t have additional stress to deal with. If you have transplanted your Wine & Roses Weigela in late fall you can cover its base with mulch to provide it with a little extra protection during its first winter.