Plant Details

Dark burgundy purple shiny-foliage makes this deciduous shrub a knock-out in the garden. In early spring, its foliage emerges green flushed with purple and quickly takes on its deeper burgundy tones. In early summer, the foliage is complimented with rich rosy-red trumpet shaped flowers which line the shrub's gracefully arching stems. Wine and Roses® Weigela is a medium-sized shrub that is great for adding drama to perennial plantings by adding both height and wonderfully contrasting foliage. Hummingbirds find the flowers irresistible! The flowers and foliage hold up surprisingly well when cut for the vase.

This weigela is easy to grow. It prefers a moist to well-drained soil and will tolerate sandy or clay conditions. Plant it in a location with full sun to light or open shade. The foliage will be the deepest color with more sun. Once established it needs only occasional watering during dry weather to look its best. Very little pruning is required when the plant is young. Once this weigela is well established, older twiggy stems and weak shoots should be removed after flowering. This will encourage the vigorous new growth that provides the best show.

Plant Patent #10772 to Herman Geers, Boskoop, Netherlands, inventor and Spring Meadow Nursery, Inc., Grand Haven, Michigan, assignee, 1997 under the cultivar name 'Alexandra'. WINE AND ROSES is the registered trademark name being used for marketing. Winner of the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society Gold Medal Plant Award for 2000.

(Source: Great Plant Picks)