Abelia x grandiflora (a-BEE-lee-a gran-dih-FLOR-uh)
Family: CaprifoliaceaeUnknownShrub (3-15 ft)
Shrub (3-15 ft)Unknown
Kaleidoscope abelia is a semievergreen shrub in the honeysuckle family (Caprifoliaceae) and was discovered as a branch sport at a Piedmont North Carolina plant nursery in 1997. The shrub grows 2.5 to 3.5 feet tall and spreads up to 6 feet wide. Plant in amended moist well-drained soil and best blooming is in full sun but tolerates partial shade. The flowers bloom on new wood; therefore, pruning, if needed, may be done in late winter and early spring. 'Kaleidoscope's leaves offer a range of color changes from a wonderful gold leaf margin in the spring that intensifies through summer and bursts into shades of red, orange, yellow and green for late fall and winter. In addition to the fantastic foliage, this plant has numerous dainty white tubular flowers that emerge in summer. Established plants are rather drought-tolerant. 'Kaleidoscope' can be used in a variety of ways. Its low spreading growth habit makes this evergreen plant a perfect ground-covering shrub. It does well in coastal gardens as an accent or container plant. Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems. More information on Abelia x grandiflora .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Fills a similar nicheCornus alba 'Argenteo-marginata'Hylotelephium spectabile 'Autumn Joy'Salvia rosmarinus
Full plant profile
Growing Conditions
Plant type
Ground Cover; Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
12 inches-3 feet
NC region
Coastal; Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 6 in. - 3 ft. 6 in. | Width: 2 ft. 6 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Mounding; Prostrate
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen; Deciduous; Semi-evergreen
Leaf color
Gold/Yellow; Green; Variegated
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf feel
Glossy
Leaf value
Showy
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Start as bright green, later become yellow with chartreuse centers. As they age they mellow to shades of gold and darker green. In the fall, they are stunning yellow, orange and red.
Fall color
Gold/Yellow; Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
White
Flower value
Fragrant; Long-lasting
Flower form
Cyme
Flower shape
Bell; Tubular
Flower detail
Pinkish buds open to white bell-shaped flowers in terminal cymes and in upper leave axils