Linnaea chinensis: Country Or Region Of Origin
China
Plant Profile: Linnaea chinensis
Names
Chinese Abelia
Phonetic Spelling:LIN-ay-ee-uh chy-NEN-sis
Genus:Linnaea
Species:chinensis
Family:Caprifoliaceae
Chinese abelia serves as a foundational species for numerous well-known hybrids. It thrives best in locations where its blossoms, delightful scent, and the butterflies they attract can be easily appreciated. In warmer regions, it is semi-evergreen; however, in zones 5 and 6, it may die back to the ground during winter, with fresh growth reappearing in the spring.
**Seasons of Interest:**
- **Bloom:** July to September, featuring fragrant white flowers in summer.
- **Seed:** Autumn.
Linnaea chinensis Feature Summary
Linnaea chinensis Image Gallery
Tags
#fragrant
#hummingbirds
#white
#full sun tolerant
#drought tolerant
#green
#shrub
#semi-evergreen
#wildlife plant
#shade tolerant
#playground
#summer flowers
#children's garden
#play
#pollinator plant
#butterfly friendly
#partial shade tolerant
Similar Plants
Linnaea chinensis is often confused with:
Linnaea chinensis Feature Summary
Attributes
Nectar attracts adult butterflies/hummingbirds. Caterpillars feed on foliage.
Woody
Fragrance
Wildlife Food Source
Attracts Pollinators
Flowers
Tubular white flowers with light pink bracts appear on new growth and have long-lasting early summer to fall bloom.
Pink
White
Gold/Yellow
Fragrant
Spring
Summer
Fall
4-5 petals/rays
Bracts
Tubular
< 1 inch
Leaves
0.7-1.5 in. dark green leaves; lighter green beneath; serrated margins
Deciduous
Semi-evergreen
Green
Simple
Opposite
Ovate
Serrate
1-3 inches
< 1 inch
Stem
New stems are covered with soft red hairs.
Brown/Copper
Red/Burgundy
Gray/Silver
Whole Plant Traits
Shrub
Deciduous
Semi-evergreen
Rounded
Erect
Spreading
Open
Medium
Low
Medium
Cultural Conditions
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Acid (<6.0)
Good Drainage
Moist
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Fruit
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Children's Garden
Border
Hedge
Mass Planting
Accent
Drought
Heat
Patio
Recreational Play Area
Butterflies
Pollinators
Hummingbirds
Linnaea chinensis Image Gallery
Linnaea chinensis Attributes
Linnaea chinensis: Wildlife Value
Nectar attracts adult butterflies/hummingbirds. Caterpillars feed on foliage.
Linnaea chinensis: Life Cycle
Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody
Linnaea chinensis: Play Value
Attractive Flowers
Attracts Pollinators
Buffer
Colorful
Defines Paths
Easy to Grow
Edible fruit
Fragrance
Pieces Used in Games
Screening
Shade
Sound
Textural
Wildlife Cover/Habitat
Wildlife Food Source
Wildlife Larval Host
Wildlife Nesting
Wind Break
Wind Shimmer
Linnaea chinensis Flowers
Linnaea chinensis: Flower Description
Tubular white flowers with light pink bracts appear on new growth and have long-lasting early summer to fall bloom.
Linnaea chinensis: Flower Color
Gold/Yellow
Pink
White
Linnaea chinensis: Flower Inflorescence
Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel
Linnaea chinensis: Flower Value To Gardener
Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy
Linnaea chinensis: Flower Bloom Time
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Linnaea chinensis: Flower Petals
2-3 rays/petals
4-5 petals/rays
6 petals/rays
7 - 20 petals/rays
asymmetrical petals
Bracts
Colored Sepals
fused petals
more than 20 petals/rays
Tepals
Linnaea chinensis: Flower Shape
Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel
Linnaea chinensis: Flower Size
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches
Linnaea chinensis Leaves
Linnaea chinensis: Leaf Description
0.7-1.5 in. dark green leaves; lighter green beneath; serrated margins
Linnaea chinensis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Linnaea chinensis: Leaf Color
Green
Linnaea chinensis: Leaf Type
Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple
Linnaea chinensis: Leaf Arrangement
Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled
Linnaea chinensis: Leaf Shape
Acicular
Auriculate
Cordate
Cuneate
Deltoid
Elliptical
Filiform
Lanceolate
Linear
Oblanceolate
Oblong
Obovate
Obtuse
Orbicular
Ovate
Palmasect
Palmatifid
Peltate
Pinnatifid
Pinnatisect
Reniform
Rhomboidal
Spatulate
Subcordate
Subulate
Linnaea chinensis: Leaf Margin
Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate
Linnaea chinensis: Hairs Present
No
Yes
Linnaea chinensis: Leaf Length
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Linnaea chinensis: Leaf Width
< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches
Linnaea chinensis Stem
Linnaea chinensis: Stem Description
New stems are covered with soft red hairs.
Linnaea chinensis: Stem Color
Brown/Copper
Gray/Silver
Red/Burgundy
Linnaea chinensis: Stem Is Aromatic
No
Yes
Linnaea chinensis Whole Plant Traits
Linnaea chinensis: Plant Type
Annual
Bulb
Carnivorous
Edible
Epiphyte
Fern
Ground Cover
Herb
Herbaceous Perennial
Houseplant
Mushroom
Native Plant
Ornamental Grasses and Sedges
Perennial
Poisonous
Rose
Shrub
Succulent
Tree
Turfgrass
Vegetable
Vine
Water Plant
Weed
Wildflower
Linnaea chinensis: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen
Linnaea chinensis: Habit/Form
Arching
Ascending
Broad
Cascading
Climbing
Clumping
Columnar
Conical
Creeping
Dense
Erect
Horizontal
Irregular
Mounding
Multi-stemmed
Multi-trunked
Open
Oval
Prostrate
Pyramidal
Rounded
Spreading
Vase
Weeping
Linnaea chinensis: Growth Rate
Slow
Medium
Rapid
Linnaea chinensis: Maintenance
Low
Medium
High
Linnaea chinensis: Texture
Fine
Medium
Coarse
Linnaea chinensis Cultural Conditions
Linnaea chinensis: Light
Dappled Sunlight (Shade through upper canopy all day)
Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Linnaea chinensis: Soil pH
Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Linnaea chinensis: Soil Drainage
Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry
Linnaea chinensis: Available Space To Plant
12 inches-3 feet
12-24 feet
24-60 feet
3 feet-6 feet
6-feet-12 feet
Less than 12 inches
more than 60 feet
Linnaea chinensis: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone
7a
7b
8a
8b
9a
9b
Linnaea chinensis Fruit
Linnaea chinensis: Fruit Type
Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua
Linnaea chinensis: Fruit Color
Brown/Copper
Linnaea chinensis: Display/Harvest Time
Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter
Linnaea chinensis Landscape
Linnaea chinensis: Landscape Theme
Asian Garden
Butterfly Garden
Children's Garden
Cottage Garden
Cutting Garden
Drought Tolerant Garden
Edible Garden
English Garden
Fairy Garden
Garden for the Blind
Native Garden
Nighttime Garden
Pollinator Garden
Rain Garden
Rock Garden
Shade Garden
Water Garden
Winter Garden
Linnaea chinensis: Design Feature
Accent
Barrier
Border
Flowering Tree
Foundation Planting
Hedge
Mass Planting
Screen/Privacy
Security
Shade Tree
Small groups
Small Tree
Specimen
Street Tree
Understory Tree
Linnaea chinensis: Resistance To Challenges
Black Walnut
Compaction
Deer
Diseases
Drought
Dry Soil
Erosion
Fire
Foot Traffic
Heat
Heavy Shade
Humidity
Insect Pests
Pollution
Poor Soil
Rabbits
Salt
Slugs
Squirrels
Storm damage
Urban Conditions
Voles
Wet Soil
Wind
Linnaea chinensis: Landscape Location
Coastal
Container
Hanging Baskets
Houseplants
Lawn
Meadow
Naturalized Area
Near Septic
Patio
Pond
Pool/Hardscape
Recreational Play Area
Riparian
Rock Wall
Slope/Bank
Small Space
Vertical Spaces
Walkways
Woodland
Linnaea chinensis: Attracts
Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees
