Overview
Uses: Front of the border, outdoor containers, mass plantings, and pollinator gardens.
Benefits: A dwarf weigela with shiny, near-black burgundy foliage that holds its color all season. Pink trumpet flowers in late spring draw hummingbirds, and the low mound fits the front of the border or a patio pot.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–8
Sun: Full Sun
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Mounding — low and compact.
Bloom Color: Pink
Foliage Color: Glossy Dark Burgundy
Mature Height: 1–2 feet
Mature Width: 1.5–2 feet
Bloom Season: Late spring
Growth Rate: Slow
Summary
Glossy, near-black foliage in a mound small enough to tuck almost anywhere.
Dark-leaved weigelas are some of the most useful color shrubs in the garden, but most grow four feet or more. Midnight Wine Shine® brings that deep burgundy foliage down to a low mound only one to two feet tall, with leaves that have a noticeable shine. The polished surface catches the light, so the plant reads as rich and dark rather than dull.
In late spring, bright pink trumpet-shaped flowers open along the stems. Against the dark leaves they stand out sharply, and hummingbirds find them quickly. After the flowers finish, the foliage carries the show through summer and into fall, keeping its color instead of fading to green.
Its small size makes it easy to use. Run a row of them along the front of a bed, tuck one between perennials as a dark accent, or plant it in a container where it will not outgrow its space. Chartreuse and silver neighbors look especially bright beside it.
Care
Midnight Wine Shine® Weigela Care
Plant in full sun for the darkest foliage and the most flowers. In part shade the leaves turn greener and bloom is lighter.
Weigela adapts to most average garden soils as long as they drain well. It does not like ground that stays wet, so avoid low spots where water sits after rain.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first growing season. Once established, it needs watering only during extended dry spells. A thin layer of mulch helps keep roots cool and moisture even.
Feed once in early spring with a slow release fertilizer. More is not needed.
Weigela flowers on growth from the previous year, so do any shaping right after it blooms. Because it grows slowly and stays small, most years it needs nothing more than removing any winter-damaged tips once the leaves emerge in spring.
Growing in Containers
This is one of the best weigelas for pots and mixed containers. Use a container with drainage holes and a quality potting mix, and water when the top inch of soil is dry; that can mean daily watering in summer heat. Feed lightly in spring, since frequent watering washes nutrients from the mix. Roots in containers experience greater cold exposure than roots in the ground. Plants hardy in the ground may require winter protection when grown in containers in colder zones.
Size
What Size is the Midnight Wine Shine® Weigela for Sale Online?
Our Midnight Wine Shine® Weigela ships in a greenhouse-grade grow pot and is appropriately sized for its container at the time of shipment. Plants ship dormant or near dormant in the off-season, so they may arrive as bare stems with few or no leaves. If you have specific sizing or planting questions, please contact us.
How Large Does Midnight Wine Shine® Weigela Grow?
Expect about 1 to 2 feet tall and 1.5 to 2 feet wide at maturity, in a low, compact mound. Space plants about 18 inches apart for a continuous edging.
Additional Information
What is the botanical name of Midnight Wine Shine® Weigela?
The botanical name is Weigela florida Midnight Wine Shine®. It is a Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Shrub selected for glossy dark foliage on a dwarf plant.
What are some common names for this plant?
It is commonly called weigela or old-fashioned weigela.
How does it compare to other dark-leaved weigelas?
Size is the biggest difference. Wine & Roses® grows about 4 to 5 feet tall and wide, and Very Fine Wine® sits in the middle at about 3 to 4 feet. Midnight Wine Shine® is the smallest of the three at 1 to 2 feet, and its foliage has a glossier finish.
Does it attract hummingbirds?
Yes. The tubular pink flowers are a good fit for hummingbirds, and bees visit them as well. Because the plant is so low, it is easy to watch them up close from a patio or along a path. For more compact plants suited to pots, browse our Patio Plants.
