Midnight Sun Weigela Brings Colorful Foliage All Summer
A great weigela for containers!
This extremely compact weigela provides bright foliage from late spring through autumn. Its spring flowers are a bonus, but the main appeal of Midnight Sun weigela comes in its fire-toned leaves. At just 18 inches tall, it makes a great subject for a container planting or it can be used to accent annuals and perennials at the front of the garden bed or border.
Common name: Midnight Sun weigela
Botanical name: Weigela florida ‘Verweig9’
Exposure: Full sun to part shade
Flowers: Warm pink, small, funnel-shaped flowers appear in clusters at the tips of the branches in late spring to early summer. Hummingbirds are drawn to weigela flowers.
Foliage: New leaves emerge yellow-green with hints of orange, then darken to shades of pink, purple and deep blue-green. These warm colors last throughout the summer. In autumn, all the leaves turn bright red before dropping off.
Habit: Midnight Sun weigela is a deciduous shrub that grows 12 to 18 inches tall and wide, with a mounded shape.
Origin: Weigela florida is native to Asia. Midnight Sun is a cultivar that was introduced to the gardening market in 2023 by Proven Winners ColorChoice Shrubs.
How to grow it: Plant Midnight Sun weigela in full sun or part shade. It flowers better with more sun, but since this small shrub is primarily grown for its foliage, a heavy bloom may not be of concern. Given its compact size and mounded shape, pruning is not likely to be necessary. If you decide to trim it, do so just after it finishes flowering. Weigela shrubs are not very picky about soil, but good drainage is preferred. Provide water during dry spells, especially as the plant establishes. USDA Zones 4–8.
Related: Browse all of our shrub articles
Image courtesy of Proven Winners
