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Fragrant Abelia

Zabelia tyaihyoni

Family: Caprifoliaceae Unknown Shrub (3-15 ft)

Deciduous abelia with good winter hardiness down to USDA Zone 4 which means when many other Abelias have died back to the ground, this one will overwinter. It can be a bit rangy as a young plant so pinch back the tips often to encourage a well-branched specimen. It blooms on old wood so prune right after bloom, do not wait until late summer or you will remove the flower buds and miss the fragrant spring flower show. It does not perform well in the heat and humidity of the deep South in USDA Zones 7-9.

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 44 attributes.

How it fits the guild

Guild layer 3 - Shrub (3-15 ft) Optimal soil pH Acid (<6.0)
See companions & conflicts ↓

Companions & Conflicts

Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.

No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.

Also noted by NC State

Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.

Often confused with Robinia pseudoacacia
Fills a similar niche Deutzia ningpoensis Loropetalum chinense Syringa persica

Full plant profile

Growing Conditions
Plant type
Shrub
Life cycle
Woody
USDA zones
4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage
Available space
3 feet-6 feet
Mature size
Height: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in. | Width: 4 ft. 0 in. - 6 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Medium
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
3 - Shrub (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Arching; Vase
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Deciduous; Semi-evergreen
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Slippery
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Bright glossy green; orange fall color
Fall color
Orange; Red/Burgundy
Flower color
Pink; White
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower detail
Buds appear pink and open to white, tubular, extremely fragrant flowers. Flowers on old wood.
Bloom time
Spring
Fruit type
Achene
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Korea
Attracts
Butterflies
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Achene
Landscape Use
Design feature
Border; Hedge
Garden tags
#orange leaves #evergreen #deciduous #low maintenance #full sun tolerant #shrub #semi-evergreen #tubular flowers #arching #border planting #butterfly friendly #summer flowers #pink flowers #partial shade tolerant #acidic soils tolerant #white flowers #hedge #fragrant flowers
Problems & Resistance
Particularly resistant to
acidic soil

Planted at Hunnicutt

Nobody’s planted this one yet.