Weigela Briant Rubidor

Weigela Briant Rubidor 'Olympiade' stands out for its very original golden foliage, which contrasts with the bright red of its flowering. It is very interesting as a hedge or in a bed, as it offers a diversity of foliage and plays an ecological role by attracting bees. Vigorous, robust, and not very demanding, it adapts to all well-drained soils, whether sunny or semi-shaded. Under very hot climates, some caution is necessary when choosing the planting location, as exposure to intense sunlight can sometimes cause leaf scorch. To obtain a well-flowering plant, pruning is essential. As it blooms mainly on the previous year's wood, it is beneficial to prune the flowering branches by a third or half just after flowering in August to allow enough time for the emergence of new branches that will in turn produce flowers the following year.

The genus Weigela (or Weigelia) includes about a dozen species of deciduous shrubs, with a spreading or erect habit, growing in thickets and on the edge of forests in eastern Asia. It belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family, like Abelia, Heptacodium, Leycesteria, Lonicera, or Symphoricarpos. The designation Weigela comes from Weigel, with the suffix -a or -ia, created in memory of the German professor and botanist Christian Ehrenfield von Weigel (1748-1831).

The Briant Rubidor 'Olympiade' variety was obtained by the Pépinières André Briant Jeunes plants around 1980. It comes from a branch sport of the 'Bristol Ruby' variety with the same bright red flowers but variegated and golden foliage that distinguishes it easily from the original plant with dark green foliage. It forms a bushy shrub with a rounded habit, dense and branching, reaching a height and spread of 1.50 to 2 m. The deciduous foliage is composed of elliptical to obovate, opposite leaves, measuring about 6 to 10 cm long, pointed at the tip. Its colouration evolves throughout the seasons, first yellow-green in spring, then bright yellow during summer, and sometimes taking a nice variegation, with a green central spot bordered by yellow. The flowering, with a beautiful intensity, covers the entire shrub in May and June, with some weaker and very random reblooms during the rest of summer. The flowers appear individually or in clusters on the previous year's branches, in the form of a dark red funnel about 3 cm long, with the white stamens clearly visible in the centre. It is not necessary to remove faded flowers as they disappear on their own. This flowering is nectar-rich.

Weigela Briant Rubidor is a vigorous and hardy shrub, resistant up to -30°C. Maintenance is simple and ordinary, moist, and well-drained soil is sufficient for its good development. It offers a bright spring and summer flowering and very attractive foliage, which offers many uses in the garden. It is ideal for forming a mixed hedge of medium height or a beautiful backdrop for perennial or shrub beds. It can also be planted alongside Aronia, Amélanchier, Elders, Japanese Privet, Lilacs, or Viburnum to welcome garden wildlife. With its long flowering period and dense habit, this Weigela will also be perfect for creating a flowering hedge together with spireas, Deutzia, Butterfly Bushes, and many other Hedge Shrubs.