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Beauty bush

Kolkwitzia amabilis

Common names:
beauty bush, beautybush, beauty-bush

Content Detail

Beauty bush is an old-fashioned, back of the border shrub. It lives up to its name in spring when it is covered with pink, bell-shaped flowers. It has arching stems and dark green foliage which  turns  yellow-green in fall. During the rest of the season it offers little in the way of ornamental appeal.

  • Family (English) Honeysuckle
  • Family (botanic) Caprifoliaceae
  • Tree or plant type Shrub
  • Foliage Deciduous (seasonally loses leaves)
  • Native locale Non-native
  • Size range Medium shrub (5-8 feet), Large shrub (more than 8 feet)
  • Light exposure Full sun (6 hrs direct light daily), Partial sun / shade (4-6 hrs light daily)
  • Hardiness zones Zone 4, Zone 5 (Northern Illinois), Zone 6 (City of Chicago), Zone 7, Zone 8
  • Soil preference Moist, well-drained soil
  • Tolerances Alkaline soil, clay soil, Occasional drought
  • Season of interest late spring, early summer
  • Flower color and fragrance Pink
  • Shape or form Arching, Multi-stemmed, Upright, Vase-shaped
  • Growth rate Fast

Size and habit: 

Beauty bush is an upright arching shrub reaching 6 to 10 feet high.

Native geographic location and habitat: 

Beauty bush is native to China.

Bark color and texture:

 The bark is light gray-brown. Older stems have exfoliating bark.

Leaf or needle arrangement, size, shape, and texture:

The leaves are opposite, simple, 1 to 3 inches long and 2 inches wide. They are medium-green with yellow fall color.

Flower arrangement, shape, and size: 

The deep pink, two-lipped tubular flowers are veined with a yellow-orange bell-shaped throat.

Fruit, cone, nut, and seed descriptions: 

The seed capsule is bristly and 1/4-inch long.

Plant care:

For the best flowering, plant beauty bush in full sun in well-drained soil. It can also tolerate partial shade conditions. Beauty Bush flowers on old wood, so prune it shortly after flowering in the spring. For older plants, remove 2 to 3 stems to the ground annually, or cut it to the ground to rejuvenate the entire plant.

List of pests, diseases, and tolerances: 

This plant has no serious pests or diseases.

Dream Catcher™ (Kolkwitzia amabilis ‘Maradco’):

This cultivar is 6 to 9 feet high and 4 to 6 feet wide. It has an upright, arching habit with yellow and lime green foliage which changes to orange-gold in the fall.

Photo Gallery (4)

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