Weigela Prism Sunset
A neat little weigela with glowing golden leaves, sunset-orange new growth and deep pink flowers – bright colour from spring to autumn in a plant small enough for any garden.
Weigela Prism Sunset is one of a new generation of compact weigelas bred for small gardens, patios and pots. Where the traditional weigela is all about the flowers, this one gives you a show before a single bud opens: its leaves are a warm golden yellow, flushed with orange as they emerge, and carried on orange-red stems. Then, in late spring, come clusters of dark rose-pink trumpets that stand out beautifully against the gold, with a second flush later in the summer. It stays tidy and rounded without much help, making it ideal for anyone who wants plenty of colour without a big shrub to manage.
At a glance
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Plant type | Compact deciduous shrub |
| Foliage | Small golden-yellow leaves, orange-tinted when young, on orange-red stems; bare in winter |
| Flowers | Dark cherry buds opening to deep rose-pink trumpets, late spring to early summer, repeating in late summer |
| Eventual size | Around 90 cm tall and 60 cm wide |
| Growth rate | Moderate; reaches full size in a few years |
| Hardiness | Fully hardy – copes with the coldest UK winters |
| Position | Full sun or partial shade |
| Soil | Any reasonable, moist but well-drained soil |
| Best for | Containers, small gardens, front of borders, pollinators |
Why you'll love it
Colour that doesn't stop. Most shrubs give you a few weeks of flower and then fade into the background. Prism Sunset's foliage keeps the display going from the moment the leaves unfurl in spring until they drop in autumn, with the orange tones strongest on fresh new growth.
Flowers that pop. Deep pink trumpets against golden leaves is a striking combination, and the plant repeats the show in late summer once the first flush is over.
Small and self-contained. At under a metre tall it slots into spaces a full-sized weigela never could – a pot by the door, the front of a border, a gap between perennials – and its naturally rounded shape needs only a light trim to stay smart.
Good for wildlife. Bees, bumblebees and hoverflies visit the trumpet flowers throughout the season.
Where to plant it
Give it plenty of sun for the strongest leaf colour and the most flowers. Golden-leaved plants can occasionally scorch in a hot, dry, south-facing spot, so a position with a little shade during the hottest part of the afternoon is ideal, but it will be perfectly happy in open sun with reasonable moisture at the roots. It isn't fussy about soil as long as it drains well and doesn't bake dry in summer.
Ways to use it
- In containers – this is where Prism Sunset really shines. Use it as the centrepiece of a mixed pot with trailing plants around the edge, or plant it on its own in a large pot with loam-based compost such as John Innes No. 3.
- At the front of a border – its low, rounded shape sits neatly in front of taller shrubs and perennials, and the golden foliage lifts darker plantings around it.
- In groups – three or five planted together make a bold block of colour in a larger bed.
- In a small or courtyard garden – it gives the impact of a flowering shrub without taking over.
Planting
Container-grown plants can be planted at any time of year, though autumn and spring are ideal because the soil is moist and roots settle in quickly. Avoid planting into frozen or waterlogged ground.
- Dig a hole about twice as wide as the pot and no deeper.
- Mix a little garden compost or well-rotted manure into the soil you have dug out.
- Plant at the same depth as in the pot, firm gently and water thoroughly.
- Mulch around the base with bark or compost to keep moisture in and weeds down.
In pots, make sure there are drainage holes and raise the container slightly off the ground on feet or bricks.
Care and pruning
Watering. Water regularly during the first year, and in dry spells thereafter. Plants in pots will need watering more often – daily in hot weather – as the compost dries out quickly.
Feeding. In the ground, a spring mulch of compost and a sprinkle of general-purpose fertiliser is plenty. In containers, feed every few weeks through the growing season with a liquid fertiliser, and refresh the top layer of compost each spring.
Pruning. Very little is needed. Weigela flowers on stems grown the previous year, so any trimming should be done straight after the first flush of flowers in early summer – never in winter or early spring, or you will cut off the coming display. Simply shorten shoots that spoil the shape and remove any weak or crossing stems. Every few years, cut one or two of the oldest stems down to the base to keep the plant fresh.
Problems. Generally trouble-free. A few aphids on soft new growth in spring are nothing to worry about, and in pots keep an eye out for vine weevil.
Good to know
- Prism Sunset is part of the Prism series of weigelas, bred for compact growth, small leaves and dramatically coloured foliage. It is a recent introduction, so it may be new to you even if you know weigela well.
- It is deciduous, so it will lose its leaves over winter. Pair it with evergreens or spring bulbs if you want the pot or border to look furnished all year.
- Weigela is not considered harmful to people or pets, making it a comfortable choice for family gardens.
Buying Shrubs from Jacksons Nurseries
At Jacksons Nurseries we sell a variety of shrubs both evergreen and deciduous with a variety of flowering times throughout the year. At certain times of the year our shrubs you buy from us may not look like the images shown on our website when deciduous leaves have fallen, the shrub has finished flowering or has been trimmed back.
Some leaves on evergreen shrubs can be damaged in winter by frost or harsh winds but in spring new leaves will readily replace those damaged. This is quite normal on many evergreen varieties and is preferable to plants grown with excessive protection that show cold shock once planted out and establish less satisfactory initially.
Availability: Stock availability figures are provided as a guide only. There is a delay between orders being placed and the plants being gathered by our pulling team. During this time it may be possible for a member of the public to purchase these plants from our Garden Centre, while this is rare it is a possibility and we will notify you of any problems as soon as possible. This figure may also include plants that have not yet be flagged as unsaleable.
Pre-order: Pre-order times are given as a guide only and may vary dependent on the growing season. Orders containing Pre-ordered products will be shipped as a single order when all items become available. Large orders may be part shipped, please contact us on 01782 502741 or email sales@jacksonsnurseries.co.uk.
* Please Note: Shrubs in 20 litre pots and above might require a pallet delivery starting at £79.99 per pallet. Depending on the exact pot size and height it may be possible to get approximately 5 plants per pallet at no extra cost. The maximum height we can dispatch on a pallet is 2.0m, this includes the height of the pallet and pot.
Shrubs are deciduous or evergreen woody plants, and often provide fragrant flowers, berries and foliage. They are good for structural framework, and they can provide a wonderful shelter and food source for wildlife.
Planting and Conditions
Container grown shrubs can be grown at any time of year. It is a little known fact that shrubs planted in the autumn and winter will be easier to look after than those planted in the spring and summer, because they will have time to establish and become hardy in the cooler months.
Plant the shrub at the same depth as it was in its original pot. Planting too deeply can result in root and stem rot.
One of the biggest causes of death in new shrubs is drought stress, so keep it well watered until it’s established.
Make sure you loosen the soil prior to planting. Most shrubs are tolerant of most soil types as long as it is fairly well draining.
Most shrubs will grow happily in containers, but they will be much more demanding on feeding and watering than shrubs in the ground would be. They will also need potting on every couple of years so that they don’t suffocate or become stunted in their pot.
Aftercare and Pruning
Once established, shrubs generally do not require much water. However, at first they need careful, frequent watering and should not be left to dry out.
Shrubs in the ground are generally not demanding and in most cases, annual feeding with general purpose fertilizer will suffice. Shrubs in containers may need more feeding; usually from early spring until late summer.
Shrubs also benefit from mulching in order to supress weeds, conserve moisture and provide vital nutrients. Mulch also greatly improves soil conditions. Shrubs can be mulched in late winter, after fertiliser has been applied, but it can be mulched through autumn to late spring as long as the ground is damp.
All shrubs benefit from dead-heading once spent flowers become apparent. Rhododendrons and Lilac especially benefit from the removal of dead flowers.
Some shrubs may show signs of reverted growth or ‘sporting’. This is where random shoots of different leaves associated with the plant’s parentage begin to appear. Most commonly this is where plants with variegated leaves sprout pure green growths instead of variegated ones.
To control reversion, remove reverted shoots promptly to discourage them. Reverted shoots are usually much more vigorous than the variegated ones, and thus should be completely pruned out and cut back into wood containing variegated foliage.
Potential Issues
Although shrubs are usually very robust garden plants, they can sometimes start to decline with no apparent or obvious reason.
This will start with browning leaves, which could indicate plant stress due to lack of water or waterlogging, an establishment failure or, in the worst case scenario, honey fungus. Another cause of leaf browning is a high salt content in the soil. This could be a natural occurrence, especially if you live near the ocean, or it could be from over fertilisation.
To remedy a high salt content, cut back on fertiliser and step up your watering regime for the next few weeks. If you live by the ocean, this will be harder to remedy—but stepping up your watering will help to wash some of the salt away all the same.