Abelia is a popular ornamental shrub appreciated for its graceful shape, attractive foliage, and abundance of colorful blooms. As a perennial plant, the abelia grows in phases, transitioning through distinct growth stages over its lifetime.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the unique developmental stages of the abelia plant so you can understand what to expect as your specimen matures.
Overview of Abelia Growth Stages
The abelia plant progresses through three primary growth phases
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Juvenile Stage: The initial growth period after propagation when the plant is established. Lasts 1-2 years.
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Mature Stage The prime of the plant’s life with full size attained Period of maximum flowering and aesthetics Can last 2-10 years,
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Senescent Stage: Slowing of growth as the plant ages. Decline in vigor, flowering, and health. Can last 1-5+ years before death.
Now let’s dive deeper into the distinct traits of each phase.
The Juvenile Growth Stage
The juvenile stage encompasses the first 1-2 years of the abelia plant’s life. Here’s what you can expect during this initial establishment period:
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Propagation and Rooting: Abelias are commonly propagated from semi-hardwood cuttings taken in summer. Cuttings will focus energy on root development before leaf and shoot growth.
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Initial Leaves and Shoots: The first leaves will be small and sparse with minimal branching. Protect tender growth from harsh sun and wind, which can damage young plants.
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Root System Expansion: Root mass expands rapidly during juvenile growth, establishing the foundation for future plant vigor.
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Height of 1-2 Feet: Expect limited vegetative growth in terms of height during the first year. Protect young abelias from frost the initial winter.
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Minimal Blooming: Most juvenile specimens won’t bloom in their first year. Any flowers will be sparse.
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Susceptibility to Issues: Stresses like drought, pests, and diseases most severely affect juvenile plants with undeveloped root systems. Careful monitoring and prompt intervention is crucial.
With the right care, your abelia will transition from a fledgling juvenile into a thriving, mature specimen.
Characteristics of the Mature Growth Stage
The mature stage marks the abelia plant’s prime years where it reaches its full size potential and exhibits maximum aesthetics and flowering. Here’s what to anticipate:
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Full Size Attained: Growth slows once mature height of 4-6 feet is reached for most varieties. Exact height depends on cultivar.
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Maximized Root System: The expansive root network can now easily take up ample moisture and nutrients to support plant needs.
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Profuse Flowering: Abundant, showy blooms will emerge during the peak flowering season, which lasts 4-6 weeks.
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Optimal Foliage Volume: Leaves will be full size, healthy, and abundant. Expect a graceful, mounding form.
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Enhanced Pest/Disease Resistance: Mature plants in their prime can better withstand and recover from pressures and damage.
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Rejuvenating Pruning: Moderate pruning every 2-3 years removes old stems and stimulates new growth.
With proper care, abelias can remain in a vigorous, flowering mature stage for many years before aging.
Signs of the Senescent Growth Phase
As abelias begin to age, their growth and vigor will gradually start to decline. Watch for these signs that your plant is transitioning into its senior years:
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Slowing of New Growth: Minimal new shoot and leaf development compared to prior years.
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Thinning/Loss of Leaves: Natural leaf loss exceeds replacement, giving the plant a sparse appearance.
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Decline in Flowering: Both the quantity of blooms and duration of flowering decreases.
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Dieback of Stems/Branches: Tips and branches die back due to the plant’s reduced ability to provide water and nutrients.
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Issues Are Harder to Recover From: Older abelias lack resources to bounce back from stresses. Damage is harder to repair.
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Increased Susceptibility: Weakened plants are more prone to severe pest, disease, and environmental damage.
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Plant Death: After 1-5+ years of senescence, abelias will eventually succumb due to their declining health and vigor.
Optimizing Care by Growth Stage
Now that you understand the changes abelias undergo as they grow and mature, you can tailor care to optimize health during each stage:
For Juveniles:
- Prioritize establishment with ample water and fertilizer.
- Provide protection from sun, wind, and frost.
- Monitor for pests/diseases and treat quickly.
For Mature Plants:
- Maintain optimal growing conditions.
- Prune every 2-3 years to rejuvenate.
- Address signs of aging as they appear.
For Senescents:
- Reduce pruning and fertilizing.
- Carefully monitor and treat issues.
- Be prepared for eventual decline and death.
Adjusting your care practices based on the plant’s growth phase will give your abelia the best chance of thriving through every life stage!
Common Questions About Abelia Growth
If you’re new to growing abelias, here are answers to some frequently asked questions:
How long do abelias live?
Abelias can live 10 years or longer with proper care and favorable growing conditions. Some types may only live 3-5 years under stressful conditions.
How do I know if my abelia is dying of old age?
Signs like reduced flowering, thinning foliage, excessive leaf drop, and lackluster annual growth point to a plant declining due to old age rather than disease or environment.
Should I replace my dying abelia?
If your aging abelia is becoming unsightly or unhealthy beyond recovery, replacement is recommended. A younger plant will have renewed vigor.
Can I force an old abelia to rebloom?
While reblooming declines with age, strategic pruning and fertilizing may coax some new flowers on an aging abelia. But effects will be limited.
Is there a way to make abelias live longer?
Providing ideal growing conditions from the start allows abelias to thrive longer before hitting their natural point of decline. But abelias will eventually age.
Ready to Grow Your Abelias Strong?
Now that you know what changes to expect as your abelia journeys through its juvenile, mature, and senior life stages, you can provide tailored care to help your plant put its best leaf, stem, and bloom forward. Use this guide as your abelia grows and develops!
For borders and landscapes:
Choose varieties that will fit the scale of your landscape. Use as hedging, screening, in a mixed border, as foundation plantings or a stand-alone focal point. Make sure to allow room for plants to mature without becoming crowded.
ShrubsDiscover the right shrubs for your garden.
Funshine® abelia (Abelia grandiflora). Photo by Proven Winners.
With today’s busy lifestyles, homeowners are always looking for ways to liven up their landscapes without a lot of effort. Abelia is an ornamental shrub that is under-appreciated and underused in many parts of the country and is worth a second look. Grown for its attractive foliage and exceptionally long bloom time, it is virtually maintenance-free once established. The eye-catching leaves come in many different colors—from gold to burgundy—that often change throughout the growing season. Fragrant tubular flowers bloom for months, making it a nonstop food source for hummingbirds, butterflies and insect pollinators.
Related to honeysuckle, the genus Abelia includes 30 species of deciduous and evergreen shrubs that are native to Eastern Asia and Mexico. Glossy abelia (A. xgrandiflora), the most common garden species, produces shiny semi-evergreen leaves in colder zones, while retaining year-round color in warmer regions. Newer hybrids are bred for unique foliage color, showier flowers and compact sizes more suitable to small urban lots.
4 to 11, varies by type
Upright arching habit, 2 to 10 feet tall and 2 to 8 feet wide
Full sun to partial shade; foliage color and bloom are best in full sun.
Oval, pointed leaves up to two inches long are produced on graceful, arching branches. Foliage is glossy green or yellow, with hints of rose, orange, bronze or burgundy. Some are variegated or multi-colored. Many varieties have leaves that change color as the seasons progress. Tubular flowers with four or five petals form in clusters on the tips of the stems. The small flowers, which are usually fragrant, come in shades of white, pink and yellow. Other attributes include colored sepals and stems, fall color and exfoliating bark.
Abelia is not known to be toxic to children or pets, and is sometimes used as hedging for pastures.
Plant during milder months of spring or fall to avoid heat or cold stress.
Choose a sunny to lightly shaded site with fertile, well-draining soil that will stay evenly moist.
Loosen soil in the planting area and amend with compost. Remove plant from container and gently tease out roots or slice the root ball in several places if potbound. Dig a hole slightly deeper than the root ball and twice as wide. Place the plant in the hole so the top of the root ball is slightly above ground level. Fill in the hole, tamp down soil around the base and water well. Spacing depends on the variety.
Sweet Emotion® abelia (Abelila mosanensis). Photo by Proven Winners.
Abelia looks best when allowed to retain its natural shape and size. Since glossy abelia (A. xgrandiflora) blooms on new wood, prune in late winter to early spring before new growth emerges so that flowers are not sacrificed. Remove any dead or damaged branches, and thin as needed to encourage new shoots. Lightly prune to shape. Some varieties produce long, errant watershoots (thin shoots that grow out of the trunk or branches); cut those out whenever they appear. To reinvigorate your abelia, thin out up to a third of the branches every few years. Deciduous varieties that bloom on old wood (such as A. mosanensis) should be pruned lightly as needed just after flowering.
Abelia prefers slightly acidic, organically rich soil that’s kept moderately moist and drains well, but is tolerant of a variety of conditions.
Apply a slow-release fertilizer formulated for woody plants in early spring. Mulch around the root zone with organic matter to retain moisture and suppress weeds.
Though drought and heat tolerant once established, it performs best with regular watering. Irrigate once or twice a week during summer.
When planted in optimal conditions, abelia exhibits few, if any problems. Possible diseases include powdery mildew and anthracnose. Pests include aphids.
Deer will leave it alone for the most part, though extreme conditions can result in deer grazing on plants they wouldn’t otherwise.