Large Weigela (need advice)

[Todd-H]

I dug this Weigela from my landscape, I think it is "wine and roses". It's been in the ground for probably 15-20 years. I clearly need to cut back some of the long branches. When would be the best time to do this to encourage the most possible back budding? Hopefully someone has some experience to help me out here. Thanks.



Todd

 

[Handsome John]

I pruned my own landscape weigela mid summer but they grow and back bud pretty vigorously, pretty resilient plant so don,t be too shy. How big is that thing?

 

[JudyB]

I'd do it very soon, before it pushes leaves. They are tough, and this one is a nice start.

 

[Todd-H]

It's about 4" across the trunk. Here's one with a bic lighter for reference.

 

[Cadillactaste]

Wicked base on that trunk! Most likely unappreciated in ground. Deserving of a pot for certain!

 

[Todd-H]

Yeah, I though it looked pretty great when I cleared back all the soil and leaf mulch. I think it will turn into a nice tree. The angle of the photo is odd but hopefully it will look nice in this pot when it flowers.

 

[Todd-H]

This is what the flowers look like.

 

[BonsaiGrove]

Nice weigala! I just picked up a variegated one today and it’s got a really gnarly trunk. I’ve never worked with this species. Do you have any updates? Did it respond well to the pruning? Any pics in bloom?

 

[Todd-H]

Hey,
It responded well to a hard cut back of the large branches. They were cut before it started to leaf out in the spring, other than that I have just done light pruning while in leaf. It is very hardy. Sorry, Don't have any pics of blooms(hasn't bloomed this year yet), I'll try to get one in the next couple weeks. Here are a couple pics from this morning.
I

 

[shinmai]

Wow! What a gorgeous trunk! And an excellent pot choice, very nice with the foliage. I love weigela because a three-gallon pot garden center specimen can look like it’s ancient. Nice find, and nice work.
I really enjoy “off the beaten path” species. I have a nice ninebark I rescued from a nursery, and last night I potted a pearlbush, and I have two corylus contorta [aka European filbert or corkscrew hazel]. Best of luck with a great looking tree.

 

[shinmai]

BTW, who made the pot?

 

[Todd-H]

The pot was made by Ross Adams (Nitju Clayworks).

 

[Jzack605]

What a cool Weigelia; weird calling it a tree as it's more of a shrub traditionally. The base and stems remind me a lot of my Kousa Dogwod.

 

[just.wing.it]

This is awesome!
Always had a love for this species.

 

[MikeNickerson88]

Any update photos while in bloom?

 

[dacoontz]

Can anyone explain the principle of when to prune these. I have a nice Weigela but it is a bit unkempt. I would like to try and develop a three tiered pad like shape but don't want to cut too much that I destroy all hope for flowering in the spring? ALso, don't know if a shape like that would even be feasible. I may just have to follow a similar pattern to what Todd has going above.