Kaleidoscope Abelia (Abelia x grandiflora ‘Kaleidoscope’)

A perfect outdoor plant adding shade to beauty in the garden in season is the Kaleidoscope Abelia. The cultivar of the Abelia x grandiflora is a delight to have as the foliage color changes. From late spring to the fall, you have flowers that grow in compact spaces to open beds. It is a great beginner gardener plant to add year-round interest to any space.

I. Appearance and Characteristics 

Growers of Kaleidoscope abelia (also called Glossy abelia) choose it for its spectacular color display. The first shoots of new growth in the spring are a lovely yellow-green color, vivid and bright.

As the spring fades into summer, the leaves change. The centers remain green and darken slightly, while the edges turn a golden yellow. This is when it bursts into flower as well. The pinkish-tinged buds turn into white tubular flowers across the plant’s surface.

In the fall, the golden color shifts to oranges and reds, while the center of the leaves remains deep green. It’s quite eye-catching through the fall, especially as it may still remain in flower for a while.

In USDA Zones 7-9, the autumnal display stays through the winter months. In the spring, they will shift back towards green tones. Zones 5-6 see some fall leaf drop, and if the weather’s too cold, the plant may die back a bit. You’ll see the first signs of new reddish-tinged stems appear again once the weather is warm enough.

Kaleidoscope abelia is a specific Abelia x grandiflora hybrid cultivar. There are other cultivars of Abelia x grandiflora, but by far the most popular is this one for its colorful hues.

To create this unique hybrid, Abelia chinensis and Abelia uniflora were carefully cross-pollinated. This produced ‘Little Richard’, a popular Abelia x grandiflora hybrid. Kaleidoscope was a sport hybrid that developed from Little Richard. It’s developed quite a fanbase, and it’s easy to see why.

II. How to Grow and Care

Sunlight

Compared to other plants grown in the growing zones, your Abelia Kaleidoscope loves bathing in full sun. While in spots with extreme heat, some afternoon shade is welcome. The important thing for flower production is for your plant to get at least 8 hours of direct sunlight.

Temperature and Humidity

The Kaleidoscope Abelia adjusts to different temperatures, but an ideal spot is between 60°F and 75°F. Your evergreen shrub can tolerate temperatures down to -10°F. Still, in cold regions with hard frost, it can cause damage to the variegated foliage.

The Kaleidoscope Abelia can handle medium humidity to drought but prefers consistently moist soil. Growing your Kaleidoscope Abelia in hard frost regions in containers helps to move them indoors.

Watering

Abelia likes to have consistently moist soil. Give it at least an inch of water per week, and more in hotter conditions.

Before watering, test the soil’s moisture. Take a hand trowel and stick it about three inches into the soil. If the tip comes out damp, wait to water until it’s dried out.

Soil

The most important thing for your Grandiflora Kaleidoscope is well-drained soil that can retain moisture. Your semi-evergreen shrub can tolerate different soil types, but the soil pH needs to be between 5.0 and 7.5.

While your Kaleidoscope Abelia can take extreme heat, the soil must remain moist. The semi-evergreen shrubs prefer an acidic potting medium.

Fertilizing

Select a slow-release, granular fertilizer that’s been optimized for use on acid-loving plants. Feed in the early spring before new growth starts to appear. Apply as per the manufacturer’s directions.

You can apply a second, lighter feeding in the summer when flower buds begin to appear. It’s not as important as the early spring feeding, but may spark more budding. Another application of slow-release nitrogen in late summer will kickstart the next spring’s growth.

Acidic fertilizers with high nitrogen are preferred for spring feeding. The nitrogen boost stimulates new growth. For the optional summer feeding, an acidic, balanced low-NPK fertilizer is ideal.

Planting Instructions

Plant this Kaleidoscope Abelia in either the spring or the fall. I recommend a fall planting in warmer climates. It gives the roots time to establish before the next summer’s heat kicks in.

To plant, choose a location with full sun to partial shade and well-draining soil. Loosen the soil and amend it with organic matter if needed to improve structure.

Dig a hole twice as wide and as deep as the root ball and place the plant in the center with the top level with the soil surface. Backfill the hole, gently tamping the soil down.

Water the plant thoroughly after planting. Maintain consistent moisture for the first few weeks after planting to help the roots establish. Apply a two to three-inch layer of mulch around the base, keeping it a few inches away from the stem. This will deter weeds and keep the soil moist.

Pruning

You can deadhead the spent flower heads when blooming to encourage more flower production. The Grandiflora Kaleidoscope produces new growth on the newer wood, so prune lightly.

A light prune helps train your Abelia Kaleidoscope to grow as a shrub into a desired shape. Winter pruning is advisable for these plants. You can cut it back more than a third to promote bushier growth. Or you can prune to remove dying old wood.

Propagation

Propagating kaleidoscope abelia is done from cuttings. As it’s a hybrid plant, no other method works reliably.

But with this plant, it’s slightly more complex than normal. There are three forms of cuttings that can be taken at different times of the year. Those are softwood, summer, or hardwood cuttings.

• Softwood Cuttings

Softwood cuttings should be taken from the first new shoots in the spring. Pick a vigorous, healthy tip about six inches in length with a few leaves at the tip. Once you’ve cut it with sterile pruning shears, place it in moistened potting soil.

A seedling heating mat set to 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit (18-21 degrees Celsius) helps spur root development. Keep it moist and it should root in a few weeks. This is the most reliable option.

• Summer Cuttings

In the summer, semi-ripe cuttings are taken when the plant is in bud. These stems have firmed up a bit and aren’t as flexible as the spring new growth. Select healthy tips six inches in length. Ideal tips should be cut just below a leaf node and stripped of the lower leaves, keeping only a few at the top.

Plant your semi-ripe cuttings similarly to softwood cuttings, but keep them moist. A mist bench or terrarium will keep the humidity up around these older cuttings. If you don’t have a mist bench or terrarium, use a clear plastic bag to act as a greenhouse. A couple of short stakes can support the bag and keep it off the cutting.

Once it has set roots, gradually introduce drier conditions until it adapts.

• Hardwood Cuttings

Finally, we come to hardwood cuttings. These have far less likelihood of taking root than softwood or semi-ripe cuttings. What they do have is more prevention from fungal disease than the younger wood types.

Select cuttings from hardwood at least one year old. Before planting, dip the cut end into water and then rooting hormone powder. Hardwood cuttings take the longest to set root.

Pests and Diseases

The Grandiflora Kaleidoscope is a hardy plant, but you can still find them bothered with pests and diseases. Here are some common problems encountered with the Abelia Kaleidoscope:

• While the Abelia Kaleidoscope is tolerant to drought, it can suffer from underwatering. In addition, the variegated foliage wilts showing it is thirsty.
• Another concern is overwatering, leading to root rot, and the best is to check the roots to see if they are mushy or have a foul smell. You can trim the rotted roots and provide your plant with fresh potting medium and water when the top few inches are dry.
• In warmer regions, your Abelia Kaleidoscope can suffer standing in full sun as the foliage becomes faded and scorched. Hence, it helps to provide your plant shade in the afternoon.
• Common pests found on your plant are aphids that drink out the sap leaving your Abelia Kaleidoscope weak and vulnerable to diseases.

III. Uses and Benefits 

Kaleidoscope Abelia is perfect as a specimen plant or in small groupings, as an informal hedge or in containers.