Weigela

Taxobox
name = "Weigela"

---

image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Weigela florida"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Magnoliopsida
ordo = Dipsacales
familia = Caprifoliaceae
genus = "Weigela"
genus_authority = Thunb.
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = About 10 species; see text

"Weigela" is a small genus of about 12 species of deciduous shrubs in the family Caprifoliaceae, growing to 1-5 m tall. All are natives of eastern Asia.

The leaves are 5-15 cm long, ovate-oblong with an acuminate tip, and with a serrated margin. The flowers are 2-4 cm long, with a five-lobed white, pink, or red (rarely yellow) corolla, produced in small corymbs of several together in early summer. The fruit is a dry capsule containing numerous small winged seeds.

"Weigela" species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including Brown-tail.

The genus is named after the German scientist Christian Ehrenfried Weigel.

The British "Weigela" national collection is held at Sheffield Botanical Gardens; along with the national collection of the closely related "Diervilla" genus. [http://www.sbg.org.uk/weigela.asp] The german "Weigela" national collection is held at Sichtungsgarten Weigela in Buckow, Maerkische Schweiz [http://www.weigela.de]

;Species:
*"Weigela coraeensis"
*"Weigela decora"
*"Weigela floribunda"
*"Weigela florida"
*"Weigela hortensis"
*"Weigela japonica"
*"Weigela maximowiczii"
*"Weigela middendorfiana"
*"Weigela praecox"
*"Weigela x wagnerii"
*"Weigela subsessilis"

Cultivation

Several of the species are very popular ornamental shrubs in gardens, although species have been mostly superseded by hybrids (crosses between "W. florida" and other Asiatic species).

External links

* [http://www.alpine-plants-jp.com/art_b/hakoneutugi_1.htm "Weigela coraeensis"] - Images
* [http://www.sbg.org.uk/weigela.asp British national collection at Sheffield Botanical Gardens]