'Lavender Mist': New Abelia for the Landscape

Summary

A new cultivar of abelia, 'Lavender Mist' has been released. This plant has clusters of fragrant lavender flowers, and blooms from June to September.

Situation

New cultivars are in constant demand by the nursery and landscape industries. Of particular interest are plants that are drought tolerant, pest resistant, low maintenance, and perform well under a variety of landscape conditions. A tough plant that meets these requirements is Glossy Abelia (Abelia × grandiflora), a flowering shrub that is widely used in the landscape. Despite these qualities, improved cultivars are desired by growers and landscapers. Most available cultivars are tall with poor form, have inconspicuous white flowers lacking fragrance, and tend to drop leaves under drought conditions. Development of novel and appealing cultivars that maintain their esthetic appeal under drought conditions is especially important to consumers in urban areas where watering restrictions have become commonplace.

Response

A long-term breeding program to develop improved landscape plants with adaptability to the environment is ongoing at the University of Georgia. 'Lavender Mist' is a new cultivar that has recently been released from this program. It is a heavy and fragrant bloomer, with clusters of lavender flowers forming in mid-June, and continuing into autumn. With pruning, it develops into a dense compact shrub with a slight spreading habit. Foliage is an attractive gray-green in summer and purple in late fall and winter. 'Lavender Mist' performs well in a pot under nursery conditions. The plant forms a gray-green mound contrasting with the lavender blossoms scattered around the plant. No insects or disease problems have been noted on potted plants maintained outside the greenhouse. Once established, the plants are quite drought resistant. Laboratory and field evaluations have revealed a mid-winter hardiness to 1 to 5°F.

Impact

This new cultivar will benefit nurseries that produce it, as new cultivars result in increased sales. Consumers will benefit because it is a novel and attractive abelia, with drought and heat tolerance, and resistance to insect pests and diseases. New cultivars of abelia and other tough landscape plants benefit urban environments due to decrease in landscape water needs and pesticide use.

State Issue

Other Issue

Details

• Year: 2006
• Geographic Scope: Multi-State/Regional
• County: Spalding
• Program Areas:
  • Agriculture & Natural Resources