Comparison of Red Prince Weigela and Variegated Weigela on Heat Tolerance and Their Differences

We often see Red Prince Weigela and Variegated Weigela along roadsides or beside parks. Both flowers belong to the Caprifoliaceae family and originate from the United States. Perhaps because of this related lineage, the leaves and flowers of the two plants look very similar, which leads many gardening enthusiasts to misunderstand them and think they are the same plant. Let's learn below where the differences between these two plants lie.

Although Red Prince Weigela and Variegated Weigela are hard to tell apart with the naked eye, if the two plants are placed together at the same time, they can actually be distinguished fairly simply by their appearance. Among them, Variegated Weigela is a small tree, and the plant height generally does not exceed 2 m. Its branches are relatively sparse, and the branches are green from youth to maturity; after the plant grows old, the branches turn brown. The leaves are simple and opposite, elliptical in shape, and the leaf margins have a serrated shape. Red Prince Weigela, by contrast, is a clumping shrub plant. Its branches are light red from youth to adulthood, and after the plant grows old, the branches turn brown. The leaves are ovate-elliptical, smaller than those of Variegated Weigela, though its leaves are somewhat more slender than those of Variegated Weigela.

In other respects, they can be distinguished by their flowering period. The flowers of Variegated Weigela generally open in spring, and the longest flowering period can last until around June. Its flowers all have five petals, with a small funnel-like corolla in the center, and the flowers come in many colors, including white, purple, pink and so on. After the flowers fade, it begins to bear fruit, and the fruit period generally matures from August to September. Red Prince Weigela blooms later than Variegated Weigela; it generally blooms in summer, and its flowering period lasts until around September. Its flowers also have five petals, but compared with Variegated Weigela its flower color appears more uniform, as it only has bright red flowers. Its fruiting period is also later than that of Variegated Weigela, usually maturing only around November.
From the perspective of growth habits, both Variegated Weigela and Red Prince Weigela like a warm climate, and Variegated Weigela can climb on trees and walls, while Red Prince Weigela does not climb. Its sunlight requirement is higher than that of Variegated Weigela, and it is suitable for planting in places with ample sunlight.