This is plant is one of my favorites among evergreen shrubs. It is a rounded, spreading, multi-stemmed shrub, suitable for gardens as well as pots. It stands out with its young copper-red leaves, which become bright green as they get older. In summer it blooms bell-shaped white or pale pink flowers.
As it is a hybrid, it has no natural habitat. It is a cross between deciduous Abelia chinensis and evergreen Abelia uniflora, both of which are native to China.
It thrives and blooms best in sunny spots in the garden but flowering will still occur even in partial shade. It thrives better along the Mediterranean coast than on the rest of the European continent, due to the winter frost, where parts of its leaves may fall off or whole branches may freeze during winter. Regardless of the possible frost damage, new shoots and leaves emerge in spring. Glossy abelia is also quite resistant to diseases and pests.
It is a honey plant, which means that it attracts bees. and another advantage is that it is not poisonous to humans or pets.
There is also the cultivar Abelia x grandiflora ‘Prostrata’ which is ideal as a ground cover.
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