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Plant ID help please

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PinkTiger
PinkTiger Posts: 288 Forumite
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DSC_0106_zps9msjy8y5.jpg

I hope the photo uploads, technology and gardening are not my strong points!

I love this plant which I was given as a cutting about 15 years ago. I have no idea what it is called, I realise I should have probably been pruning it, at its tallest it is about 6ft.

I want to take better care of it and try to take some cuttings, I have tried before but they died but have managed it with hydrangeas & fushias.
The flowers are a deep pink colour & the bees love it if that's any help, it is just coming into flower.

Thanks for any info, no one I've asked knows what it is & I have not seen any in my neighbourhood either.
'there goes an old transexual, last seen heading south,
her friends call her Bernie but her real name is Ralph'
Felicia, Priscilla Queen of the Desert

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  • ellie99
    ellie99 Posts: 1,551 Forumite
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    a weigela?


    If you could live one day of your life over again, which day would you choose?
  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,557 Forumite
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    Looks like Bristol Ruby - https://www.rhs.org.uk/Plants/91668/Weigela-Bristol-Ruby/Details

    Don't worry about not having pruned it in the past - you can let it grow as it does or cut it back really hard or take out about a third of the oldest stems each year on a rolling regeneration programme.
  • PinkTiger
    PinkTiger Posts: 288 Forumite
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    Thank you both so much, yes that looks like the one. Some of the 'branches' are getting so long they look in danger of snapping but I didn't want to kill it off by pruning it at the wrong time. I knew it must be pretty hardy to survive this long!
    I will read up about them & hopefully be able to grow some cuttings from it. I have never heard of a weigela before, maybe they are not so popular in Manchester!
    'there goes an old transexual, last seen heading south,
    her friends call her Bernie but her real name is Ralph'
    Felicia, Priscilla Queen of the Desert
  • Mrs_Huggett
    Mrs_Huggett Posts: 377 Forumite
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    Deffo Weigela..This years flowers will be on last years growth..so leave it be then prune straight away after flowering..Leave alone and the growth it puts on this year will be next years flowering branches.
  • Niv
    Niv Posts: 2,469 Forumite
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    I have a weigela, I find it grows really fast after it stops flowering and have been quite harsh is 'pruning' it. It seems to take quite a lot of abuse and thrives off it!
    YNWA

    Target: Mortgage free by 58.
  • Drachenfach
    Drachenfach Posts: 171 Forumite
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    I've just had to get the internet to ID one of these in my garden as well. It's gone absolutely mental and is about 12 foot high. so it's very helpful to find tips on pruning it back.


    The bees love mine as well, so I might try taking some cuttings at some point.
  • Mojisola
    Mojisola Posts: 35,557 Forumite
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    The bees love mine as well, so I might try taking some cuttings at some point.

    Cuttings root quite easily but, if you're going to plant another one, have a look at the variegated ones.
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