Sonic Bloom Pink weigela

Sun

Full sun gives the best flowering; tolerates light partial shade.

Water

Keep evenly moist during establishment. Once established, water deeply during prolonged dry spells, especially in hot weather.

Soil

Well-drained soil with moderate fertility; tolerates clay, loam and sandy soil provided it is neither waterlogged nor extremely dry.

Height

4-5 ft (1.2-1.5 m)

Spread

4-5 ft (1.2-1.5 m)

Flowers

Deep pink, trumpet-shaped flowers in late spring, followed by intermittent repeat flowering through summer and into autumn.

Foliage

Oval, pointed green leaves with toothed edges; deciduous, with generally modest autumn colour.

Growth

Moderate

Care needed

Low

• Pollinators
• Cold hardy
• Wildlife
• Low allergen

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Easy

Toughness

Very tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   1.6 ft (0.5 m)

2. After 1 year

   2.2 ft (0.67 m)

3. After 2 years

   2.8 ft (0.84 m)

4. After 3 years

   3 ft (1 m)

5. After 5 years

   4 ft (1.4 m)

   full size

About 5 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Moderate

• Water deeply through the first growing season whenever the root zone begins to dry.
• Spread 2-3 in (5-8 cm) of organic mulch over the root area, keeping it clear of the stems.
• Apply a balanced slow-release shrub fertiliser in early spring if growth is weak or the soil is poor; avoid heavy nitrogen feeding.
• Allow room for its full width rather than repeatedly shearing it to fit a narrow space.
• Deadheading is not needed for repeat flowering.

Pruning. Prune immediately after the main late-spring flower flush, shortening wayward shoots and removing up to one-third of the oldest stems at ground level if the shrub is crowded. Remove dead wood once spring growth reveals it; avoid routine autumn or winter pruning, which removes buds for the main spring display.

Early spring

Refresh mulch and feed lightly if needed, keeping mulch away from the stem bases.

Spring

Plant when the soil is workable and not waterlogged; water thoroughly and maintain moisture while roots establish.

Late spring

Enjoy the main flower flush, then prune only if shaping or thinning is needed.

Summer

Water during prolonged dry weather to support growth and repeat flowering.

Autumn

Avoid hard pruning and late feeding; water before the ground freezes if autumn has been dry.

Winter

Check that drainage remains free and avoid piling shoveled snow or de-icing salt around the shrub.

• Use in a mixed shrub border with spring-flowering shrubs and later-flowering perennials to extend seasonal interest.
• Plant as an informal flowering hedge, leaving enough room for its natural arching outline.
• Place behind catmint, hardy geraniums or salvias so their lower growth softens the shrub's base.
• Use as a flowering accent beside a patio or path, set back far enough that mature branches do not obstruct access.

Garden styles it suits: Cottage garden, English country, Traditional, Romantic rose garden, Pollinator garden and Low-maintenance.

Plant it with: Catmint, Hardy geranium, Perennial salvia, Lady's mantle, Peony and Daffodil.

Wildlife: Flowers provide nectar for bees and, in North America, hummingbirds. The branching shrub also offers cover for small birds.

• Poor flowering: provide more sun, avoid excessive nitrogen and do not prune in autumn or winter.
• Winter dieback in exposed cold sites: choose a sheltered position, mulch the roots and remove dead stems after spring growth begins.
• Aphids on soft shoots: dislodge small colonies with water and allow ladybirds and other predators to help control them.
• Root decline in waterlogged soil: improve drainage or move the shrub to a better-drained site; do not keep the root zone constantly saturated.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses; no plant part is recognised as poisonous. It is an ornamental rather than a food plant, and eating plant material can still cause stomach upset.

• Beautybush (Kolkwitzia amabilis)

  Usually grows larger and bears clusters of paler pink bells with yellow-orange markings inside; older stems often have conspicuously peeling bark.

• Pink-flowered deutzia (Deutzia species and hybrids)

  Flowers have five clearly separate petals, giving a starry or open bell shape, rather than weigela's long, fused trumpet.

Weigela honours the German botanist Christian Ehrenfried Weigel, while Sonic Bloom Pink is the trade name for the cultivar 'Bokrasopin'.

Propagation. Softwood cuttings taken in late spring or early summer are the usual method for maintaining the cultivar; seedlings will not reliably match it. This is a protected cultivar in some markets, so check local plant breeders' rights or patent restrictions before propagating.

Accepted botanical name

Weigela

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.