Why is the Large-flowered Abelia called "large-flowered" when it actually bears small flowers?

Large-flowered Abelia, English name: Large.flowered Abelia. Family and genus: Caprifoliaceae, genus Abelia. Morphological characteristics: golden-yellow leaves with a slightly green center, flowers pinkish-white. Fast-growing, long flowering period. It can be grown outdoors in East China, Southwest China and North China.

Abelia is a plant of the family Caprifoliaceae and the genus Abelia, native to Jiangxi, Hunan, Hubei, Sichuan and other places in China. It is a relatively precious ornamental flowering shrub, ranging from semi-deciduous to evergreen. The large-flowered abelia is a dwarf variety of abelia; it has already been introduced in China, but the quantity is very limited.

Large-flowered Abelia

Main value:

The large-flowered abelia is very beautiful, with supple, drooping branches and a graceful, dancing form. Whether planted as a companion in a garden or mass-planted as a hedge or in a flower border, it is very suitable. Every year from early summer to mid-autumn is the peak flowering period of the large-flowered abelia. When it blooms, the whole tree is covered in white flowers, carved like jade and ice, crystal clear. Under sunlight they glow with a faint fluorescence, set off by pink calyces and dark green leaves, making them especially striking. Even more valuable is that even after the white flowers fade, the red calyces can persist until winter, which is extremely spectacular.

The large-flowered abelia is not only very beautiful, but also highly adaptable. It is not demanding about soil and can grow in both acidic and neutral soil; it is also not strict about fertility, tolerating drought and poor soil, and it has very strong suckering and sprouting ability. At the same time, it can be pruned repeatedly.

Among abelias, the large-flowered abelia is an earlier horticultural species; it was created by crossing Abelia chinensis, native to China, with Abelia uniflora. Later, through foreign breeding, several more distinctive horticultural varieties were developed.

Large-flowered Abelia

Cultivated varieties:

Golden-edged large-flowered abelia is a hybrid of the large-flowered abelia. Compared with its parent, its greatest feature is the golden-yellow color of its leaves. The young branches are red and hollow. The flowers are small and abundant, with a faint fragrance, making it one of the best varieties of large-flowered abelia.

Pink-flowered abelia is the only red-flowered variety among abelias, with pink and vivid flowers that are exceptionally bright and beautiful. The leaves are relatively small, the branches are slender and curved into an arch, and the pink sepals persist for a longer time, making it very distinctive.

Sunrise abelia has dark green leaf centers, with golden-yellow stripes along the leaf margins when young; as the leaves mature, the stripes turn creamy yellow. It is currently the only variegated-leaf variety, and has not yet been introduced in China.

Dwarf white abelia is a dwarf variety of abelia; it has already been introduced in China, but the quantity is very limited.

There are many varieties of abelia with excellent ornamental effects. Some domestic nurseries are gradually introducing foreign varieties. The large-flowered abelia is widely used in gardens in Shanghai and the developed cities of Jiangsu and Zhejiang, and this situation is beginning to improve the previous situation in which abelias were rarely used in China.

Large-flowered Abelia