Abelia: 5 varieties to grow in pots

Abelia x grandiflora 'Kaleidoscope'

Approximately 50–80 cm tall with a spread of 1–1.5 m at 10 years, the Alebia x grandiflora ‘Kaleidoscope’ retains the qualities of its parents. Born in 2006, this Abelia develops a foliage initially green margined with yellow, which takes on orange hues as autumn settles in. This gradually coppery foliage will redden quite distinctly in winter in the cold, but its hues may vary depending on climate, exposure and soil type.
It is one of the best for container planting, thanks to this foliage and to its hardiness down to -15°C.
As with all Abelias, ‘Kaleidoscope’ needs plenty of sun to flower well all summer until frosts and a light, well-drained soil. It tends to be rather semi-evergreen outside mild-climate areas.

Plant it in a position sheltered from cold winds, otherwise it will tend to shed a little of its foliage. A south- or west-facing exposure is ideal for this charming little Abelia.

Abelia x grandiflora 'Confetti'

Here’s another Abelia that can be easily found in garden centres or from reputable nurseries: the Abelia grandiflora ‘Confetti’, also encountered under the name Abelia x grandiflora ‘Conti’.
As with Abelia grandiflora, it flowers from June to October without a break. Its growth habit is rather spreading and it remains compact, reaching a height of up to 1 m. The foliage of Confetti is very bright, thanks to creamy white margins, tinged pink in summer and autumn along the leaf margins. Its foliage evolves from the moment when new shoots are bronze-coloured, then it tends toward a darker red as autumn approaches. We also love its slightly scented flowering, white, with a pink calyx. This fine Abelia is semi-evergreen.

Abelia grandiflora 'Sunny Charm'

Beyond its yellow flowering that sets it apart from other Abelias with white or pink flowers, the Abelia grandiflora ‘Sunny Charm’ Minduo1 is the perfect candidate to form a lovely container planting for a balcony, as it features a very naturally rounded habit with a tendency to arch. Very floriferous, this little Abelia, when grown in a pot, reaches at maturity a maximum height of 1 m with a similar spread. It is well suited to seaside locations, like all Abelias, as it thrives in a mild climate, but it should be avoided on the coastline where winds would be too strong. The flowering continues from July to October, starting from buds that are delicately rose-tinged, followed by small flowers with tubular corollas in pale yellow, slightly orange at their centres and pink-purple on the outside, melliferous and fragrant. The calyces take on copper hues as autumn arrives, which adds to its charms. ‘Sunny Charm’ has very finely cut foliage, slightly bronze-tinged in spring on new growth, which gradually becomes dark green, contrasting nicely with the light of the golden flowers. It again takes on purplish hues as the cold arrives, a sight to behold!

Hardy to -10 to -12°C, it’s the standout charm of this selection, really well suited to container growing.

Abelia grandiflora 'Hopley's'

Another candidate for pot planting with a very floriferous Abelia all summer! Hopley’s stands out for the very bright colour of its foliage: it grows up to 1.5 m in the ground, a little less in a pot.
Its great asset is the variegated foliage green margined with yellow, which also lightens gradually through the season, first lightening to ivory-white then evolving into pink-purple to orange when winter sets in. It is semi-evergreen.
The flowering is not to be outdone, pink in buds, it takes on white, and, like all the other Abelias in this selection, lasts long into the first frosts. It adds a great deal of brightness to this cultivar.
It’s the perfect little shrub for a balcony or terrace. It would be hardy to -8°C when potted, a little less hardy than the other varieties presented here, but this allows it to be planted in many regions. As with Abelias, provided you protect it from the winter’s cold winds. A south- or west-facing balcony or terrace would be ideal for it. If Abelias tolerate drought well in the ground, you will still need to monitor watering of ‘Hopley’s’ in a pot, especially during heatwaves.

Abelia grandiflora 'Prostata'

To finish this selection of small Abelias, we present the variety ‘Prostata’, whose name tells us a lot about its size: this dwarf, very compact Abelia indeed measures up to 60 cm in height with a spread of around 1 m when planted in a pot. It is therefore well suited to small spaces and can become the star of your balcony with its bright white flowering. On it too, pink-to-copper sepals just beneath the petals add a further touch of colour, much appreciated on this shrub, as they persist for a long time.

It develops evergreen foliage in many regions thanks to its hardiness down to -15°C, which makes it very attractive for potting up so you can enjoy it throughout the winter. Leaves are a beautiful, uniform green, and do not change through the seasons. Its growth is slow, which makes it easy to keep in check in a pot and, eventually, to plant it into a border if you find it spreads too wide in its pot. Plant it, too, in good, well-drained soil on a south- or west-facing balcony to enjoy its flowering.

The Abelia grandiflora ‘Prostata’ has the merit, like the entire genus, of low maintenance: pruning is possible but not essential, especially in its early years.