Knowledgebase

Plant ID #628379

Asked April 28, 2020, 9:58 AM EDT

Not 100% sure what this plant is. It is in full bloom right now. I believe it is huckleberry. Not too familiar with the plant. If so is it a good plant & does it attract pollinators?

Anne Arundel County Maryland

Expert Response

This is a variety of Weigela (Weigela florida); despite the sound of its scientific name, it is native to east Asia. That said, they are not known to be invasive in our area, and can be attractive to bees, larger butterflies, and some hummingbirds. Weigela has a relatively long bloom season for a flowering shrub, starting now and re-blooming through summer, especially if given a light pruning after the first flowers fade. They are common in horticulture and have been grown in gardens for over a century.; new varieties are still being introduced with dwarf habits, improvements in re-blooming, and colorful foliage.

If you wish to remove it or add native shrubs for pollinator benefit, there are many options depending on your growing conditions. Some that grow well in conditions that support Weigela include Summersweet (Clethra), New Jersey Tea (Ceanothus americanus), Viburnum (several species), Chokeberry (Aronia, though recently re-classified under Photinia), Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis, also recently renamed Sambucus nigra canadensis), and Virginia Sweetspire (Itea virginica).

Miri

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