Pocket BotanistPlant guide
Abelia.
Abelia uniflora
Pronounced uh-BEE-lee-uh yoo-nee-FLOR-uh
Also known as Large-flowered Abelia
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Abelia uniflora is a lovely, semi-evergreen shrub known for its graceful arching branches and delicate flowers. It's a fantastic choice if you want to add a bit of elegance to your garden borders. You'll find it's quite resilient once it gets settled in your yard.
At a glance
- Care level
- Easy
- Plant type
- Shrub
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Indoor light
- Bright indirect
- Water
- Every 7 to 14 days
- Mature size
- 6 to 8 feet
- Growth rate
- Medium
- Hardiness
- USDA 7 to 9
- Bloom time
- Late spring to early summer
Care
Plant this shrub in well-draining soil and make sure it gets plenty of light to encourage blooming. Keep an eye out for wilting leaves, which usually means it needs a bit more water. It's pretty low maintenance, so just watch for any dead branches to keep it looking tidy.
- Watering
- Water deeply when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch.
- Feeding
- Apply a balanced slow-release fertilizer once in early spring.
- Pruning
- Trim back after flowering to maintain shape and encourage new growth.
- Repotting
- Repot only if the plant becomes root-bound or needs fresh soil.
- Soil
- Well-draining loam
- Soil pH
- 6.0 to 7.0
- Temperature
- -12 to 35°C
- Humidity
- 40 to 70%
Safety
- People
- There are no reports of significant toxicity to humans.
- Children
- The small flowers and dry fruit may pose a minor choking hazard if ingested by small children.
- Contact allergens
- The foliage may cause mild skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
- Airborne allergens
- Pollen may trigger mild allergic reactions in those prone to hay fever.
- Edibility
- This plant is not considered edible and should not be consumed.
How to identify it
- Arching woody stems
- Small ovate glossy leaves
- Fragrant tubular white flowers
- Persistent reddish sepals
- Height
- 1.5 to 2.5m
- Spread
- 1.5 to 2.5m
- Leaves
- green, semi-evergreen
- Flowers
- white, pink, 2 to 3cm
- Fruit
- brown, Autumn
Problems to watch for
- Aphids · Small insects that cluster on new growth and may cause leaf curling.
- Powdery Mildew · A fungal issue that creates a white, dusty coating on leaves during humid weather.
Check your abelia from a photo
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Growing it
- Propagation
- cuttings
- When to plant
- spring, autumn
Plant in groups of three to create a dense, flowering hedge that supports local pollinators.
Grows well with
Similar species
- Glossy Abelia · It is a more common hybrid with similar growth habits.
Science
- Family
- Caprifoliaceae
- Genus
- Abelia
- Order
- Dipsacales
- Class
- Magnoliopsida
- Native range
- China
- Conservation
- This species is not currently listed as threatened or endangered.
It thrives in well drained soils and often grows on rocky slopes in its native habitat.
- Value to wildlife
- nectar source
- Pollinators
- bees, butterflies
- Uses
- ornamental shrub, hedging, pollinator garden
Through the year
Ecological indicators
- Salinity
- 2/9
- Soil reaction
- 6/9
- Light
- 7/9
- Temperature
- 6/9
- Moisture
- 5/9
- Nutrients
- 5/9
Taxonomy resolved against GBIF.
Questions people ask
- Does it need pruning?
- Yes, prune lightly after flowering to maintain shape and encourage new growth.
- Can it grow in full shade?
- It prefers full sun to partial shade for the best flowering performance.
Where the name comes from
The genus name honors Dr. Clarke Abel, a physician and naturalist who introduced the plant to the West.
Good to know
- It belongs to the honeysuckle family.
- The name uniflora refers to the flowers appearing singly or in small clusters.
- It is highly valued for its long flowering season.
Keep your abelia growing
This page is a general guide. Save your plant in Pocket Botanist and you get care reminders timed for this plant, plus a care history that shows what worked.
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This guide was generated with AI on and checked against GBIF taxonomy. It is general information, not horticultural or veterinary advice. Read about how we build these guides.