Weigela blooming Victoria (Victoria): photo, description, reviews, frost resistance

Weigela Victoria is a breeding species created for growing in gardens, in household plots, for landscaping the urban landscape. Ornamental shrub is found in Primorye, the Far East, Altai. It grows in the undergrowth, on rocky slopes, along the banks of water bodies. Wild species have given rise to numerous hybrids.

Description weigela Victoria

Weigela Victoria is a short, sprawling shrub 1-1,2 m high. The plant is perennial, deciduous, with an unusual leaf color and abundant, long flowering. A beautifully flowering shrub grows slowly, the annual growth is no more than 15 cm. The winter-hardy weigela Victoria tolerates temperatures as low as -30 ⁰C, this feature allows you to grow shrubs almost throughout Our Country. Drought resistance is average, the plant requires periodic watering, but Victoria weigela does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil. They use culture for landscape design of gardens, urban recreation areas, personal plots.

External description of weigela blooming Victoria:

1. The shape of the crown is spherical, the diameter is about 1,5 m. The shrub is branched, densely leafy, the central shoots are upright, the lateral ones are horizontal from the base with raised tops. Perennial stems are gray, young shoots are light brown.
2. Weigela Victoria leaves are opposite, lanceolate, with sharp ends and finely serrated edges. The color is maroon, closer to brown or dark green, the color depends on the lighting of the place of growth. A sheet plate with a smooth matte surface, the veins are presented in the form of a large mesh of beige color. Petioles are absent. The exotic color of the leaves is considered part of the decorative weigela Victoria. The foliage stays on the branches for a long time, not falling off until the first snow.
3. The root system is developed, located close to the surface, overgrown, does not respond to soil compaction.
4. The seeds of the culture are small, equipped with a lionfish, formed in small quantities, ripen by autumn.

Weigela Victoria is a perennial plant, the biological cycle is 25-30 years. Blooms in the fourth year of vegetation, reaching the end point of growth by six years.

How weigela Florida Victoria blooms

Weigela Victoria belongs to crops with an average flowering period. The buds form on the stems of the previous year in the second half of May, and flowers bloom at the same time a week later. The period is long, the main peak falls on June-July. Subsequent flowering on young shoots until September is not abundant, the flowers are smaller.

Characteristics of Victoria weigela flowers:

• bell-shaped form;
• length – 4 cm;
• collected in inflorescences of 3-5 pieces;
• inside are painted in light pink color;
• the surface is purple or dark pink with a red tinge.

The photo shows weigela Victoria during the period of active flowering.

In the shade, the leaves are dull, the flowers are smaller, the color is pale.

The use of weigela Victoria in landscape design

Throughout the spring-autumn season, weigela Victoria retains its decorative effect. Thanks to the color of the leaves, the plant looks colorful even during the period when flowering has not begun or has already ended. Weigela complements any composition, is widely used for landscape design by professional designers and amateur gardeners. Weigela Victoria tolerates planting well, she needs little care, photos and design options using a hybrid are presented below:

1. Mass planting to create a hedge.

   

2. Decorative design of the foreground of the flower bed.

   

3. Composition with herbaceous plants and undersized shrubs.

   

4. Weigela is often used as a tapeworm against the wall of a building.

   

5. Culture looks good as a centerpiece with dwarf conifers.

   

6. In a group with flowering shrubs.

Weigela Victoria not only goes well with different types of plants, but also gets along well with them. Victoria practically does not get sick, therefore it is not a focus of infection, it is rarely affected by pests that can spread to neighbors in the flower bed.

How weigela Victoria breeds

Victoria can be propagated on the site in several ways: generatively and vegetatively. The first method is rarely used, the hybrid produces seeds, but from a large number of seedlings, only 10% of the weigela can be obtained with signs of the mother plant, the remaining seedlings will give a wild-growing appearance.

To preserve the external characteristics, weigela Victoria is bred with cuttings or layering. Cuttings are the most productive and labor-intensive method. The material is cut from last year’s stems or young shoots. From woody stems, cuttings are harvested in early spring before the buds swell. From the shoots of the current year, material is taken in July, after the completion of the main flowering:

1. Cuttings are cut from the middle part of the stem. The required size is 15-25 cm.
2. Placed in a container with nutrient soil mixture.
3. For the winter, the container is placed in the basement.
4. In the spring, when there is no threat of frost, they are taken out to the site.

A longer, but no less productive way to propagate weigela blooming Victoria is layering. In spring, the lower branch is bent to the ground, fixed, sprinkled with soil. Sprouts will appear next year in the spring. You can plant plots on the site after three years of growth.

Planting and caring for weigela Victoria

The ease of planting and subsequent care of flowering Victoria weigela is one of the important advantages of the culture. Compliance with certain conditions will allow you to grow an ornamental shrub on the site.

Recommended timing

The frost resistance of hybrids is much lower than that of cultivars; weigela Victoria is no exception. A bush planted in autumn, even with high-quality shelter, will die in winter. Landing is carried out in the spring before the buds swell, at a soil temperature of at least +7 ⁰C. In the middle lane, return frosts are a common occurrence, so a young weigela seedling is covered for the night until the temperature returns to normal.

Site selection and preparation of soil

A fully decorative and profusely flowering weigela Victoria will only be in an open area. A light-loving plant develops poorly even with slight shading. The effect of the north wind slows down the vegetation. The best place is the south or east side of the slope. If a flat area is chosen, it must be protected from drafts. A site in a lowland or with close groundwater is not allowed. Stagnation of moisture can lead to the death of the seedling.

The soil is neutral or slightly alkaline, light, fertile, drained. Suitable loam or sandy soil. Before planting, the site is dug up, compost, dolomite flour or any agent containing alkali is added.

How to plant

Before planting, the root of the Victoria weigela seedling is placed in a growth-stimulating preparation for 5 hours. During this time, a soil mixture is prepared from peat, sand, organic matter and soil from the planting site in equal proportions. Add ash and superphosphate.

Action sequence:

1. They dig a hole with a diameter of 50 cm, a depth of 70 cm. The parameters are average, the main condition is that there is a space of 10-15 cm from the root to the edge of the recess.
2. A layer of expanded clay gravel (10 cm) is poured at the bottom, it can be replaced with crushed stone or small stones. Top with a layer of prepared soil mixture.
3. The seedling is set in the center, covered with nutrient soil, the root collar is left above the surface (5 cm).
4. The near-stem circle is compacted, watered abundantly, mulched.

With close placement, plants are intertwined with branches, shrubs grow worse, the design element looks untidy.

Growing rules

Victoria weigela care is standard, compliance with certain rules of agricultural technology will guarantee long-term flowering and rich leaf color.

Watering

Young seedlings need periodic watering at least twice a week for normal growth. The soil should not be allowed to dry out, 6 liters per bush will be enough. If the summer is not dry and precipitation is normal, weigela is not watered. An adult plant is watered 1 time at the beginning of budding and 2 times during the main flowering with plenty of water. At the end of August, watering is stopped.

Additional fertilizing

If the planting technology is followed, microelements and nutrients added to the soil are enough for 3 years of vegetation. In the future, the plant is fed in early spring with complex mineral fertilizers. At the beginning of flowering, phosphorus and potassium-containing products are given. In autumn, the root circle is covered with ashes.

Loosening, mulching

Frequent loosening is relevant for young seedlings of Victoria weigela. In the first years, the plant forms a root system, therefore, they provide an unhindered supply of oxygen. Weeds are removed as needed. Loosening is carried out no deeper than 8 cm. An adult weigel digs up the soil of the trunk circle in spring and autumn. The crown of Victoria weigela is dense, the lower stems are located near the ground, weeds do not grow under the crop.

Weigela Victoria is mulched immediately after planting with a mixture of peat and sawdust, covered with chopped tree bark on top, for decoration purposes. In autumn, the coating layer is increased with straw or needles. In the spring, the mulch is updated, the procedure is carried out every year.

Pruning, crown formation

Weigela Victoria does not require formation, the crown of the culture has a regular rounded shape, the branches do not grow randomly and do not protrude beyond the visual framework. Every spring, health pruning is carried out, damaged and dry areas are removed. In autumn, the plant is thinned out, twisted and thin stems are cut off. The anti-aging procedure is carried out 1 time in 3 years. After abundant flowering, part of the old stems is removed, annuals are cut off by 1/3. In a short period of time, weigela Victoria is restored and begins to bloom again.

Preparation for winter

Shelter for the winter is necessary for young weigela and adult shrubs, especially in temperate climates. Preparatory work:

1. Weigela Victoria is watered abundantly.
2. Spud.
3. The top of the embankment is mulched.
4. The branches are collected in a bundle, fixed.
5. They bend to the ground, cover with spruce branches or special material.

A solid fence is placed in a circle, covered with dry leaves, and the structure is covered with spruce branches on top.

Pests and diseases

Weigela Victoria does not respond to prolonged air humidity and a decrease in night temperature, the plant is not affected by fungal and bacterial infection. The only problem is the rotting of the root with constant stagnation of water in the soil. Aphids rarely parasitize on Victoria weigel, usually this happens if an anthill is located nearby. Pests are eliminated with the preparation “Keltan”.

Conclusion

Weigela Victoria is a perennial, undersized shrub with maroon leaves and bright purple flowers. A hybrid with high immunity to infection and garden pests, unpretentious care, tolerates high humidity and low temperatures. Weigela Victoria is used for landscape design of urban microdistricts, household plots, gardens.

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