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Weigela middendorffiana
Weigela middendorffiana
Medium · Some experienceAbout Weigela middendorffiana
Middendorff's Weigela is a rare East Asian deciduous shrub growing 3 to 5 feet tall, producing distinctive yellow tubular flowers with orange throats in late spring, unlike the typical pink weigela flowers. Native to mountain regions of Japan, Korea, and the Russian Far East, it is a prized collector's shrub in American specialty gardens seeking unusual late-spring color in cool shaded sites.
- Cold-hardy
- Shade-tolerant
- Deer-resistant
How to care for Weigela middendorffiana
Watering
- Springevery 5 days
- Summerevery 3 days
- Fallevery 7 days
- Winterevery 14 days
Soil · Rich & loamy
- Top dressingBark mulch15%
- Main mixRich loam + compost 3:170%
- DrainageGravel15%
Use fully finished compost — fresh compost burns roots.
FERTILIZER
Balanced Feed 14-14-14
An even feed covers all three needs at once, keeping leaves, roots and blooms moving together with nothing pushed out of balance.
- Nitrogen · Leaves
- Phosphorus · Roots + Blooms
- Potassium · Strength
- Springevery 45 days
- Summerevery 60 days
At a Glance
- NativeEurope, East Asia
- Height4–6 ft (1.2–1.8 m)
- Spread4–6 ft (1.2–1.8 m)
- Flower colorYellow, Orange
- Foliage colorGreen
- SoilLoamy, Well-drained
- LocationsYard
Bloom time
BLOOM CYCLE
Peak bloom
May
Yellow tubular flowers with orange throats in late spring
Fragrance
LIGHT FRAGRANCE
The flowers have a very lightly sweet-scented scent.
Toxicity
No toxicity has been reported for this plant. Still, it is wise to keep pets from chewing on any houseplant.
Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.
DISTRIBUTION
- Native
- Europe
- East Asia
History
Weigela middendorffiana grows in mountain thickets of Sakhalin, Hokkaido, Korea, and northeastern China. The Baltic German-Russian explorer Alexander Theodor von Middendorff collected it during his 1842-1845 Siberian expedition. Carl von Maximowicz of the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden brought seeds to Western cultivation in the 1850s, and the French botanist Élie-Abel Carrière described it in 1866 under the genus Calysphyrum, later moved to Weigela.
It is unusual in the genus for its soft yellow funnel-shaped flowers marked with orange throats, contrasting with the pink and red of most other weigelas. It entered British gardens in the late Victorian era but has remained a connoisseur's plant.
Modern nurseries offer it for shaded woodland-edge plantings where most weigelas struggle. Named for German-Russian naturalist Alexander von Middendorff, who explored the Russian Far East in the 1840s. Rarely grown in America but treasured by Asian-garden specialists for its unusual yellow flowers, unlike the ubiquitous pink weigelas of American foundation plantings.
Symbolism & meaning
What It Symbolizes
Weigela middendorffiana can symbolize rare distinction, an uncommon yellow-flowered weigela whose bell-shaped blossoms set it apart from its many pink relatives. Another layer is cool heritage, drawn from its origins in the cold mountains of Siberia and Japan rather than the gentler climates that produced most garden weigelas. In the language of shrubs, this plant is the quiet exception in a familiar genus, a flower whose color and provenance together make it a small connoisseur's choice.
- Rare treasure — uncommon yellow-flowered weigela
- Cool heritage — from Siberian and Japanese mountains
Where the Name Comes From
'Weigela' honors Christian Ehrenfried Weigel (1748-1831), German physician and botanist; 'middendorffiana' honors Alexander von Middendorff (1815-1894).
Uses & Fun Facts
- Yellow trumpet flowers attract bumblebees in spring
- Unusual yellow-flowered weigela for shrub borders
Related plants
More Weigela plants
Old Fashioned WeigelaWeigela florida
Old Fashioned WeigelaWeigela praecox
Korean WeigelaWeigela subsessilis
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Frequently asked questions
How often should I water Weigela middendorffiana?
In summer, water about every 3 days; in winter, about every 14 days. Adjust for heat, pot size and drainage.
How much light does Weigela middendorffiana need?
Part shade: 2–4 hrs direct. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.
Is Weigela middendorffiana toxic to cats or dogs?
No toxicity has been reported for this plant. Still, it is wise to keep pets from chewing on any houseplant. Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.
Is Weigela middendorffiana easy to grow?
It is moderately demanding: a good choice once you have a little experience.
When does Weigela middendorffiana bloom?
It typically blooms May in the Northern Hemisphere.
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