Weigela, Dark Foliage 'Coco Chill™'

Coco Chill™ Weigela | Weigela florida 'VBL1'

Height:  3 feet

Spread:  3 feet

Hardiness Zone:  4a

Brand: Monrovia

Description:

A superior, compact variety that forms a low mounded shrub with deep ruby red to burgundy foliage in summer; soft red, trumpet-shaped flowers attract hummingbirds in spring; very showy, ideal for the mixed garden border; exceptionally hardy

Ornamental Features

Coco Chill™ Weigela features showy clusters of pink trumpet-shaped flowers with red throats along the branches from late spring to early summer, which emerge from distinctive crimson flower buds. It has attractive burgundy foliage with green veins and tinges of black which emerges dark red in spring. The glossy pointy leaves are highly ornamental and turn an outstanding dark red in the fall. The dark red stems can be quite attractive.

Landscape Attributes

Coco Chill™ Weigela is a dense multi-stemmed deciduous shrub with a mounded form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season's flowers. It is a good choice for attracting hummingbirds to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Coco Chill™ Weigela is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Mass Planting
• Border Edging
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Coco Chill™ Weigela will grow to be about 3 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 3 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for approximately 30 years.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. This plant will benefit from an application of bonemeal and/or mycorrhizal fertilizer at the time of planting. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selected variety of a species not originally from North America.

Coco Chill™ Weigela makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden. Be aware that in our climate, most plants cannot be expected to survive the winter if left in containers outdoors, and this plant is no exception. Contact our experts for more information on how to protect it over the winter months.