Abelia x Grandiflora Kaleidoscope #3

Ever feel like your garden gets a little… boring after the spring bloom fades? Do you wish you had a shrub that didn’t just sit there looking green, but actually changed with the seasons?

The Kaleidoscope Abelia literally shifts colors like a kaleidoscope throughout the year. It’s semi-evergreen (meaning it keeps its leaves most winters here), but those leaves don't stay the same. You get bright gold and green in the spring, which deepens in the summer, and then burns into fiery reds and oranges when the autumn chill hits. It’s like having three different plants in one spot. Plus, it’s a polite grower, meaning it stays compact and dense without taking over your whole yard.

Here’s a fun fact, this specific plant was actually discovered right here in the NC Piedmont! It was born and bred for our climate. It laughs at our heavy clay soil (once you get it established) and doesn’t faint during those humid Winston-Salem summers. Since it’s rated for Zone 6-9, it’s perfectly happy in our winters, too.

Why We Recommend It:

• A Four-Season Show: This shrub offers golden-yellow variegated foliage in spring, which turns to a vibrant red-orange in fall and winter. On top of that, it produces fragrant white flowers all summer long that look great against the colorful leaves.

• Tough Love: We know you’re busy. Thankfully, 'Kaleidoscope' is low-maintenance. It’s drought-tolerant once it gets its roots settled, and best of all—it is highly deer resistant. The local deer population tends to walk right past it looking for tastier snacks.

• Pollinator Pitstop: While the leaves are the main event, the little bell-shaped white flowers are a magnet for bees and butterflies. Planting this is an easy way to support our local pollinators without having to plant a high-maintenance flower bed.

Best Used For:

• Low-growing hedges or foundation plantings (it hides ugly concrete foundations beautifully).

• Edging along a walkway or driveway.

• Container gardening (it looks great in a pot on the patio).

• Stabilizing a slope or bank.

The Specs:

• Growth Rate: Medium

• Mature Size: 2.5–3.5 ft. tall; spreads 3–4 ft. wide.

• Sun: Full Sun (best color) to Partial Shade.

• Soil: Loves well-drained soil but adapts well to amended clay.

Ready to add some color? Check out more details at the NC State Extension Plant Toolbox, or swing by Mitchell's today. Ask any of us in to show you the 'Kaleidoscope' -- it’s usually easy to spot because it’s a bright one!