Bristol Ruby Weigela is one of the best selling plants in our nursery. It’s SO nice as a landscape plant, outperforming all of the other types of Weigela, that I’ve decided to stop growing those other varieties.
Before I get into what’s awesome about this plant, I want to clear up one thing, the pronunciation. I’m so not a plant snob… BUT, I hear so many people pronounce this name wrong. It’s spelled funny. I get it. So, straight from the mouths of Proven Winners, let’s all say Weigela! (why-jee-la)
Now onto the good stuff.
This plant is a knockout. Among hundreds of other customers through the years, I’ve sold this to a few of my neighbors at my plant sales, and it looks fantastic every time I pass their yards. It’s always lush and vibrant and thriving.
It’s an absolutely breathtaking sight in spring when it’s time to flower. It’s absolutely covered with hundreds of ruby-red, trumpet-shaped flowers from May through June, into early July. It might be obvious that the hummingbirds love this one. I marvel at them often, feeding at my stock plants. (the plants I take cuttings from to make more)
This shrub will add a vivid splash of color to your yard, so be sure to add it to your favorite garden design plan, or plant it as a specimen to look at, making sure you have a great view from your patio or window.
Bristol Ruby is well-formed, growing more upright than many other varieties of Weigela that tend to look messy. It’s very hardy and thrives just about anywhere in any type of soil.
And boy does it grow fast! I’ve established mature sized plants here in the matter of a few years. Some of our customers report that it grows a couple of feet in just a year.
This Weigela prefers full sun but will tolerate some light shade. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds. Provides a beautiful cut flower for your bouquet. Gorgeous as a flowing hedge or border, or as a beautiful exhibit of color in your spring landscape. Give it adequate space, Weigela dislikes crowding.
Watering is the same for most perennial shrubs. Water well for the first year. Once established, it no longer needs to be watered and tolerates drought well.
Weigela florida: ‘Bristol Ruby’ Weigela
| Lighting | Height | Spread | Soil Type | Hardiness |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun – Part Shade | 5′ | 6′ | Well Drained | Zone 4-9 |
Growth Rate: Fast!
WEIGELA PRUNING:
Bristol Ruby, as well as most other Weigelas tolerate any type of pruning, any time of the year. Sculpt and shape your plant to your heart’s desire.
Pruning immediately after blooms fade will encourage reblooming. Pruning and shaping might be necessary for your Weigela to look more beautiful. This will maintain a good branch structure.
You want a strong, open, upright branch structure at the base, so it can hold its lovely weeping branches at the top without flopping. It’s easily done and FUN to prune. Weigela tolerates hard pruning well, and actually does better for it.
Pruning Basics
- Cut back dead branches.
- Starting at the base and work up.
- Cut branches that criss cross and rub together.
- Cut out branches that look like they’re going the wrong way.
- Cut just beyond a ‘leaf node’. Look closely at the direction the new buds are growing. This is the way the branch will grow.
“This thing is still flowering!?” Because this plant is so popular in our nursery, I’m constantly cutting my Bristol Ruby Weigela to propagate more. It seems the more I cut it, the more it flowers. One year, it flowered ALL summer long. Not too shabby for a spring-flowering shrub.
Here are my two stock plants in spring. Aren’t they fantastic? (forgive my weeds)
