Weigela 'Nana Purpurea'

Weigela 'Nana Purpurea' (Weigela florida 'Nana Purpurea') is dark velvet foliage lit up by pink bells. The brown-purple tone of its crown sets it apart from every other weigela, and in full sun the leaves take on their deepest, almost chocolate colour.

It flowers from April to June with funnel-shaped pink blooms, and may repeat weakly in mid to late summer. This is a dwarf purple-leaved form, so it goes into borders, against house walls and into small gardens where a full-sized weigela simply would not fit.

Key characteristics:

• What makes it special: The bell-shaped weigela flowers are a magnet for bumblebees and butterflies, and in American gardens they draw hummingbirds as well.
• Hardiness: It winters down to -34 °C (USDA zone 4), taking frosts confidently.
• Flowering: From April to June it opens elegant funnel-shaped pink flowers.
• Light: Best in full sun: flowering is more profuse there and the foliage darker; it stands light partial shade too.
• Soil: It takes readily to any moderately moist, well-drained garden soil, and stands clay soils too.
• Watering: Water moderately, without drying out and without standing water in the root zone.
• Care: Shaping pruning is done immediately after flowering - the flower buds are set on last year's shoots.
• Landscape use: It works beautifully in borders, along boundaries, by house walls, in a hedge or a summer screen.