Abelia shrubs might be the most underrated plants in modern gardening. If you want small to medium shrubs that stay neat, offer year‑round color, attract pollinators, thrive in heat and drought, and are rarely bothered by deer, Abelia deserves a place in your garden.
In this video, David Wilson from Overdevest Nurseries introduces the best Abelia varieties for the Mid‑Atlantic and Northeast, explains how to grow and care for them, and shares the remarkable story behind their discovery and development.
Find Abelia shrubs at a partnering garden center near you:
https://grownbyoverdevest.com/retail-locator
🌿 What You’ll Learn
Why Abelia is one of the most valuable shrubs for modern gardens
How to grow them in sun or partial shade
When and how to prune for shape and vigor
Why they’re heat‑ and drought‑tolerant once established
Their benefits for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds
How deer typically respond to Abelia
The fascinating history of Dr. Clark Abel and the origins of Abelia
The newest and most reliable varieties for our region
🌈 Featured Varieties
Abelia ‘Kaleidoscope’
Abelia ‘Mardi Gras’
Abelia Vanilla Brandy
Abelia Mucho Gusto
Abelia Poco Loco
Abelia Tres Amigos
Abelia Milky Way
Abelia Brilliantina
📚 Chapters (Jump to Any Section):
00:00 – Why Abelia is so underrated
00:48 – Size, habit, and pruning
02:00 – Heat, drought, and deer resistance
03:00 – Flowering, fragrance, and pollinators
04:30 – How Abelia performs in real gardens
05:20 – Hardiness zones and dieback behavior
06:40 – Historical story of Dr. Abel
09:00 – Modern breeding and new varieties
10:00 – Mucho Gusto
11:10 – Poco Loco
12:40 – Tres Amigos
14:50 – Vanilla Brandy
16:00 – Brilliantina
18:00 – Milky Way
20:00 – Final thoughts
🌱 If you enjoy plants that offer long-season interest, reliability, and exceptional garden performance, this deep dive into Abelia will give you everything you need to choose the right variety and grow it with confidence.
Links to the other videos:
Abelia 'Mardi Gras' : https://youtu.be/bGQiPlk9A4s?si=DpYfYWRE1ldynnFU
Abelia 'Kaleidoscope' : https://youtu.be/8q_3RMghPyU?si=bJyZ4jpMOkWHDVOg