Abelia grandiflora ‘Variegata’

Abelia 'Variegata' (Abelia x grandiflora 'Variegata') is a hardworking low hedge that brings its own colour without needing to flower. The leaves are edged in creamy yellow against mid green, so a planted row stays bright all year, and it settles at about 1.2m tall and 1.2m wide. Small white and pink trumpet flowers arrive through the warm months, lightly scented and covered in bees.

Why you'll love it

• Colour without flowers. The cream edged foliage carries a bed twelve months a year.
• Genuinely low maintenance. Frost hardy, drought tolerant, heat tolerant and salt tolerant, so it survives on rain in most temperate gardens.
• Long flowering and scented. Small white and pink trumpets open through spring and summer with a light honey perfume.
• The right size for a low hedge. At 1.2m each way it holds a boundary without turning into a screening job.
• Coastal capable. Salt tolerance means it holds up in a beachside front garden.

Where it works best

Low hedging. Plant 80cm apart for a dense low hedge. At that spacing the plants meet cleanly within two seasons, and the arching habit means the row reads soft rather than boxy. Two light trims a year hold it anywhere between 80cm and 1.2m.

Borders, edging and mass planting. Run it along a path or driveway, or sweep a group of five through a larger bed at the same 80cm centres, where the pale leaf edges lighten a dark corner.

Pots. A single plant in a 400mm pot suits an entry, and the variegation shows better against a plain dark pot.

Growing abelia in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun gives the strongest variegation and the heaviest flowering. In part shade the cream edges fade towards green and the plant opens up. It grows across subtropical, warm temperate, cool temperate and Mediterranean zones and is frost hardy, so cold inland and southern gardens are no obstacle.

Soil. Not fussy about type as long as it drains. Improve heavy clay with compost and plant slightly proud of the surrounding level. Mulch 50mm deep and keep it clear of the stems.

Water and feed. Deep soak twice a week through the first summer, then taper off as the roots go down. It becomes genuinely drought tolerant from the second season. A complete slow release fertiliser in early spring is enough for the year.

Pruning. Trim after the main flowering flush and again in late winter to keep it dense. It reshoots well from old wood, and any shoots that revert to plain green should be removed.

What to expect when it arrives

Abelia 'Variegata' is grown here as tube stock and in 200mm pots sold in packs of six. Tubes are young and lightly branched, the sensible option for a long hedge run. The 200mm plants arrive with a framework of branches and give a visible low hedge much sooner.

The wiry stems travel well, though some leaf drop after transit is normal. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95 and a minimum order of $300 before delivery. Expect three to four weeks of quiet, then steady growth, with a low hedge closing over two seasons. Every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Variegated plants explained
• Browse variegated foliage plants
• Compare low maintenance shrubs
• Shop hedging plants by size

Common questions

How far apart should I plant it for a hedge?

Eighty centimetres apart in a single row. Each plant spreads to about 1.2m, so at that spacing the canopies overlap enough for a solid line while each plant still gets light to its lower branches.

Some shoots have gone plain green. What do I do?

Cut them out at their point of origin as soon as you see them. Reverted green shoots grow more strongly than variegated ones and will eventually dominate the plant if left alone.

Is it evergreen?

It is evergreen in warm temperate and subtropical gardens. In cold inland and southern districts it thins noticeably over winter, then refurnishes quickly in spring.