Abelia Grandiflora Kaleidoscope

Abelia Kaleidoscope, or Abelia grandiflora Kaleidoscope, earns its name from the variety of colours that can be expected from this evergreen or semi-evergreen shrub through the changing seasons!
The grandiflora varieties of Abelia are vigorous shrubs with arching branches and glossy green leaves. Kaleidoscope is a semi-evergreen dwarf variety.

The Abelia genus is native to Asia, but the Kaleidoscope variety was discovered in 1997 in North Carolina by Kent Bell. This stunning evergreen has something to offer in all seasons. Its reddish-purple stems produce new foliage in variegated shades of green and yellow that turn gold in summer, and then brilliant red and orange in autumn and persist through the winter months. Abelia grandiflora Kaleidoscope develops pink buds in summer that open into fragrant, funnel-shaped pinkish-white flowers from mid-summer into the autumn, attracting bees and butterflies to your garden.

Abelia grandiflora Kaleidoscope is hardy in most parts of the UK, even in severe winters, but in colder regions it may prove to be semi-evergreen. It will grow to a mature height of 0.5-1 metres and spread of 1-1.5 metres in 2 to 5 years. Deadhead spent blooms to extend the blooming period, and lightly trim the shrub in spring to maintain an attractive shape. Every 3 or 4 years, rejuvenate Abelia Kaleidoscope by hard pruning. 

Plant Abelia grandiflora Kaleidoscope in full sun in a sheltered position with a south, west, or east-facing aspect, in moist but well-drained sand, chalk, or loam soil. Abelia Kaleidoscope is salt tolerant, and so makes a good landscape shrub in coastal locations, and since it also tolerates pollution, it is a good choice for city gardeners. It is safe to plant in country gardens as it is deer-resistant. It is generally pest and disease free. 

This lovely little shrub can play a variety of roles in your planting schemes! The shelter of a courtyard will be a perfect spot for a specimen plant, and it makes a lovely addition to a mixed border. Abelia Kaleidoscope has it all: beautiful evergreen foliage changing with the seasons, fragrant, beautiful blooms, and a low-maintenance growth habit to make it the perfect choice for your garden! See also Abelia grandiflora Glossy Abelia and Abelia Edward Goucher.