Sweet Emotion^® Hardy abelia Abelia mosanensis

I planted Sweet Emotion Abelia in 2018. For several years I was on the fence about this shrub. It just seemed to fade into the background and did not get noticed much, with occasional flowers in the spring, and it would send up new growth that I trimmed down. It took several years for it to bulk up. I pruned it at the appropriate time last year, and this spring was the first year that it really caught my attention -- I was about 15' away from it when I smelled its flowers and realized it was the abelia. It had a lot of flowers on it this year, which smelled sweet, jasmine-like and wonderful, and lasted about 3 weeks. I was so impressed that I planted another one. This abelia flowers on old wood, so it should be pruned immediately after flowering if you choose to prune. If not pruned at all, it might have a somewhat uneven, slightly loose habit, so I do trim it for shape. It does have a pretty orange fall color. Need to be patient with this one, but it is worth it.

Second year there were almost no flowers, but the third year, it is full of blossom. Has survived the winter in a cold zone 5, and I am pleased with it. Deer do not seem interested in the mature leaves, bit I still protect it as insurance, when the leaves first sprout.