Weigela florida Cherry Love

Weigela 'Cherry Love' is a beautiful improvement on the Red Prince cultivar, which distinguishes itself by a more compact habit and darker red flowers. This bushy shrub is adorned with slightly fragrant deep red bell-shaped flowers, which fade elegantly. This flowering often reoccurs at the end of summer. The red of its flowers stands out beautifully against its thick, textured vibrant green foliage. An elegant and colourful variety suitable for gardens of all sizes and easy to grow even for beginners. 

Weigelas are Asian, originating from northern China, Japan, and Korea. They belong to the Caprifoliaceae family along with honeysuckles. Weigela 'Cherry Love' ('Slingco 2') is a calcicolous (preferring calcareous soils) shrub, with a moderate growth rate, whose fibrous and spreading root system perfectly supports transplantation. It has a dense, generally rounded habit with upright branches. This variety eventually forms a bush measuring around 1.3 m (4 ft) in all directions. Its funnel-shaped flowers, larger compared to the type species, measuring 4 cm (2 in) in length, are a beautiful deep red enhanced by a white style that extends beyond the corolla. They are carried in corymbs, at the ends of the previous year's branches, and bloom abundantly from May to June, then more sporadically in August-September. These nectar-rich flowers attract many pollinating insects. Its deciduous foliage is composed of bright green leaves, pubescent on the underside and lanceolate in shape. The lamina, dentate at the edges, with a textured appearance, turns yellow in autumn before falling. 

Hardy down to -20 °C (-4 °F), Weigela 'Cherry Love' thrives in sunny or partially shaded positions, in a regular, moist, well-drained soil. Its robust habit, dense foliage, and superb red flowers make it a highly ornamental shrub that brings life to any setting eight months out of twelve. In a border, for example, you can pair it with Abelia, variegated Japanese spindle trees, Kerria japonica, Physocarpus, compact mahonias, Japanese spireas, or ornamental brambles. In the background, the very dark foliage of hollies or yews will provide a beautiful backdrop for its flowers and guarantee year-round appeal.