Abelia (x) grandiflora Steredenn 'Levabes'

The Abelia grandiflora 'Steredenn' 'Levabes' is distinguished by its very dense, beautifully rounded habit, as well as its variegated foliage of white tinged with pink in autumn. Decorative for much of the year, this bush forms a ball of light, offering delicate white flowering that gives way to pretty reddish bracts and generally retains its foliage in winter. It will appeal to enthusiasts of easy-care plants, whether in the ground or in pots.

The Abelia x grandiflora 'Steredenn' is a bush from the Caprifoliaceae family. It is a recent horticultural creation. This bush has a dense, compact, regular habit, as tall as it is wide. It averages about 1.50m (4 in 11 ft) in all directions at 10 years old, and its growth is rather slow. In a pot, it will remain smaller in size. The branches of this abelia bear small leaves that more or less persist in winter. The small leaves are oval, more or less dentate. A somewhat greyish green, margined with creamy white, they slowly turn green bordered with pink at the first cool nights. In autumn, they appear almost reddish. The slightly fragrant flowering spans from August to October, a period when few bushes are in bloom. Its countless small funnel-shaped, white corollas are gathered in terminal panicles. Upon fading, they give way to pretty calyces composed of decorative rusty bracts on the autumn foliage.

The 'Steredenn' large-flowered Abelia enriches the palette of plants suitable for cultivation in large pots as well as small gardens. It can also serve as a ground cover, at the front of borders or along pathways. It fits well in groups with other low-growing bushes such as Euonymus fortunei 'Emerald Gaiety', Berberis thumbergii 'Atropurpurea Nana', Ceanothus repens, or even Genista lydia. This variety, resistant to drought once well-established, is hardy to about -12°C (10.4 °F) in well-drained soil and sheltered from the wind. It is best grown in pots in the coldest regions and protected in winter.