Winter form is somewhat gawky to my eye. This is a shrub for a shrub border rather than a specimen position, despite the incredible flower show in spring.
My form has a bicolored flower. The overall effect is dusty pink, but actually the inner side of the petals is pale pink, while the outside of the typical funnel-form flower is a deep rose pink.
Flowering is in late May in my USDA zone 7 garden. May and June are the typical flowering time for all species. Flowers form on old wood, although you may get sporadic flowers after the main season on new wood.
| Like all Weigela, leaves are formed in pairs on opposite sides of the stem. |
'Foliis Purpureis' is noted for the purple shading on the leaves. This is most noticeable on new foliage. Older leaves retain a dusky green, but new foliage is noticeably wine stained. Of course, this tickles my purple-foliage loving heart.
There is another variety with even darker purple foliage that I lust for. W. florida x 'Alexandra' is a newish selection, introduced by Spring Meadow Nursery in Grand Haven, Michigan and now being sold under the trademark name Wine & Roses.
The dark, glossy foliage of Wine & Roses is said to intensify in color to nearly black by midsummer, without fading to green like many purple leafed plants do. This one is one I have got to have!
'Foliis Purpureis' new stems (in left image above) are also distinctly wine colored, while old wood (right image above) fades to a pale grayish white. This is one of the shrubs that, I find, throws new growth at right angles to the stem when headed back, rather like Kolkwitzia, so it's best to simply take a branch out to the main stem or the ground if you're trying to prune for shape or to maintain size.
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