Abelia grandiflora Sherwood

Abelia x grandiflora 'Sherwood', also known as Abelia x grandiflora 'Sherwoodii', is a dwarf variety of the abelia with large flowers. It has a dense and spreading habit, which is perfect as a ground cover plant in a border, a rockery or a on slope. The bush is particularly ornamental with its thin and erect branches and its small, shiny, oval foliage, which is initially coppery green then dark green. From June to October, it is covered with small clusters of numerous brightly coloured tubular bell-shaped flowers, which are white with light pink and fragrant sepals. It is a low-maintenance bush that resists drought once established. Provide it with a sunny location where its flowering will be even more abundant and light, well-drained, preferably rich soil. Hardy down to -12° C (10.4° F), plant it outside in mild winter regions against a south-facing wall and sheltered from cold winds.

Abelia x grandiflora is a bush from the Caprifoliaceae family. This hybrid is the result of cross-breeding between Abelia chinensis, native to temperate China, and A. uniflora, which comes from eastern China. The species prefers bright and warm exposures and fertile but well-drained soils. 'Sherwood' is a horticultural variety with a reduced, dense and spreading habit. It will not exceed 80 cm (31.5 in) in height with a spread of 1.2 m (3.9 ft). Its growth rate is moderate. The long, lightly scented flowering lasts throughout the summer, from June to October, when few shrubs are in bloom. Its countless small funnel-shaped corollas, are white with a pink hue and are gathered in terminal panicles. When they fade, they give way to pretty calyxes composed of rust-coloured bracts, which are very decorative against the autumn foliage. The thin and erect branches of this Abelia bear glossy foliage that is tender green tinged with copper in spring, turning dark green. The small, more or less toothed oval leaves are semi-evergreen and persist for a long time on the branch.

'Sherwood', with its compact habit and exceptional floribundity, enriches the range of plants suitable for growing in large pots as well as in small gardens. It grows well in groups with other low shrubs such as Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald Gaiety', Berberis thunbergii 'Atropurpurea Nana', Ceanothus repens, or Genista lydia. This variety, which is drought-resistant once well established, is hardy to about -12° C (10.4° F) in well-drained soil. In colder regions, grow it in pots that can be protected indoors over winter. It is an interesting shrub for creating informal hedges in drier and warmer gardens, where its arching branches, loaded with a profusion of fragrant flowers, will express themselves freely. Consider planting it with coarser evergreen foliage such as Distyliums, laurels, and finer, glaucous foliage of spireas. The small size of this variety is well suited as a ground cover, especially for creating a border around a terrace that will be colourful and flowered throughout the summer.