The Chinese abelia, or Abelia chinensis, is a lovely deciduous shrub that has dark green leaves and white tubular flowers. In size the Chinese abelia can reach up to 1.5 metres tall and 2.5 metres wide. This member of the Caprifoliaceae (honeysuckle) family is native to the south-eastern areas of China. The native habitat is alpine areas up to 1800 metres above sea level. The binomial name of this species, Abelia chinensis, has the following meanings:
- Abelia-the genus was named in honour of Clarke Abel, an 18th century British botanist and physican.
- Chinensis-means ‘from China’.
Leaves of the Chinese abelia are ovate in shape and glossy green in colour. They reach up to four centimetres long. While the shrub is deciduous, in warmer climates it can be semi-deciduous. Along the stem, the leaves are arranged in an opposite arrangement. The leaf margins are serrated.
The flowers are the star of the show with Chinese abelian. The white flowers are five millimetres long and funnel-shaped. They appear in terminal panicles heavy enough to make the branches dip towards the floor. The pink sepals stay around after the flowers have dropped and stay until the autumn. The fragrant flowers are very attractive to butterflies due to the nectar they contain. Flowers appear from summer through to autumn. Flowers are followed by fruits which are brown achenes, appearing in autumn.
In cultivation, this shrub is a very nice addition to the garden. Chinese abelian prefers full sun to part-shade. Loam or sandy soils are preferred-they need to be moist but free-draining. In colder climates, the Chinese abelia will die down completely, possibly growing back in the following spring. Tolerance of heat, humidity, rabbits and dear exist in this plant-once established, it can also tolerate drought.
I really like the Chinese abelian. It’s one of those plants that sits between trees and ground covers, so adds another layer of interest in the garden. I also love the fact that it attracts butterflies, one of my favourite insects in the garden. In my ever-expanding mythical garden, I would have the Chinese abelia in it, possibly a few dotted around.
https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?taxonid=279003
https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/abelia-chinensis/