Overview
Uses: Mixed borders, specimen plantings, informal hedges, and pollinator gardens.
Benefits: A proven favorite with dark burgundy-purple foliage and rosy pink trumpet flowers in late spring. The dark leaves hold their color all season, and the blooms bring in hummingbirds and butterflies.
USDA Hardiness Zones: 4–8
Sun: Full Sun
Life Cycle: Deciduous Shrub
Growth Habit: Rounded — full, dense form.
Bloom Color: Rosy Pink
Foliage Color: Dark Burgundy-Purple
Mature Height: 4–5 feet
Mature Width: 4–5 feet
Bloom Season: Late spring, with light rebloom in summer
Growth Rate: Moderate
Summary
Deep wine-colored leaves and rosy pink flowers on one of the best-loved dark weigelas.
Wine & Roses® has been a garden staple for years, and the reason is simple: it gives you two kinds of color from one shrub. The foliage emerges dark burgundy-purple in spring and keeps that rich tone through summer, so the plant contributes color long after most spring-flowering shrubs have gone back to plain green.
In late spring, rosy pink trumpet flowers open along the arching stems. Against the dark leaves they glow, and hummingbirds find them quickly. A lighter round of flowers often follows in summer, adding a few fresh blooms to the dark foliage.
The shrub forms a full, rounded shape about four to five feet tall and wide. That size makes it a strong anchor in a mixed border, a focal point near a patio, or part of a loose, colorful hedge. Pair it with chartreuse foliage, silver-leaved perennials, or white flowers to make the dark color stand out even more.
Care
Wine & Roses® Weigela Care
Plant in full sun. Sun keeps the foliage at its darkest and produces the heaviest bloom; in shade the leaves turn greener and flowering drops off.
Weigela adapts to most average garden soils, including clay, as long as water drains away. Avoid low spots that stay soggy.
Water deeply once or twice a week through the first growing season. Established plants need extra water only during long dry spells. A two-to-three-inch layer of mulch helps hold moisture and keeps weeds down.
Feed once in early spring with a slow release fertilizer.
Weigela blooms on the previous year's growth, so prune right after the main spring flowering. Shorten any stems that throw off the shape, and every few years remove one or two of the oldest stems at the base to keep the plant full of young, well-colored growth. Trim off any winter-damaged tips once the leaves emerge in spring.
Size
What Size is the Wine & Roses® Weigela for Sale Online?
Our Wine & Roses® 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 Wine & Roses® Weigela Grow?
Expect about 4 to 5 feet tall and 4 to 5 feet wide at maturity, in a full, rounded shape. Space plants about 4 feet apart for an informal hedge.
Additional Information
What is the botanical name of Wine & Roses® Weigela?
The botanical name is Weigela florida Wine & Roses® ‘Alexandra’. It is a Proven Winners® ColorChoice® Flowering Shrub known for dark foliage and rosy pink flowers.
What are some common names for this plant?
It is commonly called weigela or old-fashioned weigela.
Does it rebloom?
The main show comes in late spring. After that, it often produces a lighter scattering of flowers in summer, though not a second full flush. Pruning right after the spring bloom and keeping the plant in full sun give it the best chance of summer flowers.
How does it compare to other dark-leaved weigelas?
Wine & Roses® is the largest of the common dark-leaved types at about 4 to 5 feet. Very Fine Wine® stays around 3 to 4 feet, and Midnight Wine Shine® is a low mound of 1 to 2 feet for edging and containers. Choose by the space you have; the foliage color is similar across all three. For more flowering shrubs, see our Shrubs & Bushes.
