• Photo of Linnaea x grandiflora (Linnaea x grandifloras)

Plant Profile: Linnaea x grandiflora

Names

Glossy Abelia

  • Photo of Linnaea x grandiflora (Linnaea x grandifloras)

Phonetic Spelling:LIN-ay-ee-uh gran-dih-FLOR-uh

Genus:Linnaea

Species:

Family:Caprifoliaceae

Glossy abelia is a resilient shrub that thrives in drought and erosion-prone areas, making it easy to cultivate. This evergreen to semi-evergreen plant can reach heights of 2 to 6 feet, with a similar width, depending on the variety. It produces flowers on new growth from late spring through fall and into early winter, showcasing a long-lasting ornamental calyx that is reddish-bronze in color. Both the new growth and autumn leaves exhibit this striking reddish-bronze hue. To maintain its shape and prevent excessive legginess, it is advisable to prune the shrub in late winter before the onset of new growth.

**Quick Identification Tips:**
- Three to four leaves per node on the reddish new growth
- Opposite leaves featuring a reticulate pattern of veins
- Bell-shaped white flowers accompanied by a persistent reddish calyx
- A small shrub characterized by exfoliating bark

**Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Issues:** No major concerns.

Linnaea x grandiflora Feature Summary

Linnaea x grandiflora Image Gallery

Tags

#purple
#gold
#fragrant
#hummingbirds
#red
#white
#evergreen
#showy flowers
#fall color
#full sun tolerant
#bark
#drought tolerant
#lavender
#green
#easy to grow
#wildlife plant
#pink flowers
#nectar plant
#salt tolerant
#fall interest
#air pollution tolerant
#cpp
#glossy
#pollinator plant
#partial shade tolerant

Similar Plants

Linnaea x grandiflora is often confused with:

Linnaea x grandiflora Feature Summary

Attributes
This shrub is attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies.
Wildlife Food Source
Fruit
Leathery, one-seeded achene; non-ornamental. Hybrid of Abelia chinensis x Abelia uniflora
Summer
Fall
Spring
Flowers
Small bell flowers appear in groups of 2-5 in cymes in the upper leaf axils and stem ends. Color ranges from whites to pinks depending on the cultivar. Persistent reddish calyces into winter.
Pink
Purple/Lavender
White
Red/Burgundy
4-5 petals/rays
Tubular
Bell
< 1 inch
Leaves
3-4 leaves per node. Glossy leaves, emerge reddish and mature to dark green then turn bronze-green to bronze-red in winter. Reticulate venations; acute, cuneate to rounded base.
Green
Gold/Yellow
Red/Burgundy
Purple/Lavender
Red/Burgundy
1-3 inches
Glossy
Slippery
Showy
Long-lasting
1-3 inches
Stem
Pubescent, reddish-brown young stems mature to exfoliating, splitting bark, revealing lighter inner bark
Brown/Copper
Red/Burgundy
Hairy (pubescent)
Whole Plant Traits
Arching
Multi-stemmed
Dense
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)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Good Drainage
Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont
5b
5a
6a
6b
7a
7b
8b
8a
9a
9b
Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Landscape
Pollinator Garden
Border
Hedge
Mass Planting
Accent
Screen/Privacy
Drought
Deer
Urban Conditions
Salt
Erosion
Lawn
Slope/Bank
Butterflies
Pollinators
Hummingbirds
Bark
Exfoliating
Peeling

Linnaea x grandiflora Attributes

Linnaea x grandiflora: Wildlife Value

This shrub is attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies.

Linnaea x grandiflora: Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems)

drought, pollution, deer

Linnaea x grandiflora: Life Cycle

Annual
Biennial
Bulb
Perennial
Woody

Linnaea x grandiflora: 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 x grandiflora Fruit

Linnaea x grandiflora: Fruit Description

Leathery, one-seeded achene; non-ornamental. Hybrid of Abelia chinensis x Abelia uniflora

Linnaea x grandiflora: Fruit Type

Achene
Aggregate
Berry
Capsule
Caryopsis
Drupe
Follicle
Legume
Nut
Pome
Samara
Schizocarp
Siliqua

Linnaea x grandiflora: Display/Harvest Time

Fall
Spring
Summer
Winter

Linnaea x grandiflora Flowers

Linnaea x grandiflora: Flower Description

Small bell flowers appear in groups of 2-5 in cymes in the upper leaf axils and stem ends. Color ranges from whites to pinks depending on the cultivar. Persistent reddish calyces into winter.

Linnaea x grandiflora: Flower Color

filter_vintage
Pink
filter_vintage
Purple/Lavender
filter_vintage
Red/Burgundy
filter_vintage
White

Linnaea x grandiflora: Flower Inflorescence

Catkin
Corymb
Cyme
Head
Insignificant
Panicle
Raceme
Solitary
Spadix
Spike
Umbel

Linnaea x grandiflora: Flower Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long Bloom Season
Long-lasting
Showy

Linnaea x grandiflora: Flower Bloom Time

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Linnaea x grandiflora: 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 x grandiflora: Flower Shape

Bell
Cross
Crown
Cup
Dome
Funnel
Irregular
Lipped
Radial
Saucer
Star
Trumpet
Tubular
Urn
Wheel

Linnaea x grandiflora: Flower Size

1-3 inches
3-6 inches
< 1 inch
> 6 inches

Linnaea x grandiflora Leaves

Linnaea x grandiflora: Leaf Description

3-4 leaves per node. Glossy leaves, emerge reddish and mature to dark green then turn bronze-green to bronze-red in winter. Reticulate venations; acute, cuneate to rounded base.

Linnaea x grandiflora: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Linnaea x grandiflora: Leaf Color

spa
Gold/Yellow
spa
Green
spa
Red/Burgundy

Linnaea x grandiflora: Deciduous Leaf Fall Color

spa
Purple/Lavender
spa
Red/Burgundy

Linnaea x grandiflora: Leaf Type

Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
Fronds
Needles
Sheath
Simple

Linnaea x grandiflora: Leaf Arrangement

Alternate
Opposite
Other/more complex
Rosulate
Whorled

Linnaea x grandiflora: 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 x grandiflora: Leaf Margin

Crenate
Crenulate
Dentate
Denticulate
Doubly Crenate
Doubly Dentate
Doubly Serrate
Entire
Lobed
Serrate
Sinuate
Undulate

Linnaea x grandiflora: Hairs Present

No
Yes

Linnaea x grandiflora: Leaf Length

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Linnaea x grandiflora: Leaf Feel

Fleshy
Glossy
Leathery
Papery
Prickly
Rough
Rubbery
Slippery
Smooth
Soft
Velvety
Waxy

Linnaea x grandiflora: Leaf Value To Gardener

Edible
Fragrant
Good Cut
Good Dried
Long-lasting
Showy

Linnaea x grandiflora: Leaf Width

< 1 inch
1-3 inches
3-6 inches
> 6 inches

Linnaea x grandiflora Stem

Linnaea x grandiflora: Stem Description

Pubescent, reddish-brown young stems mature to exfoliating, splitting bark, revealing lighter inner bark

Linnaea x grandiflora: Stem Color

grass
Brown/Copper
grass
Red/Burgundy

Linnaea x grandiflora: Stem Is Aromatic

No
Yes

Linnaea x grandiflora: Stem Surface

Corky Ridges
Covered with a powdery bloom (glaucous)
Dull
Hairy (pubescent)
Polished
Smooth (glabrous)

Linnaea x grandiflora Whole Plant Traits

Linnaea x grandiflora: 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 x grandiflora: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics

Broadleaf Evergreen
Deciduous
Needled Evergreen
Semi-evergreen

Linnaea x grandiflora: 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 x grandiflora: Growth Rate

Slow
Medium
Rapid

Linnaea x grandiflora: Maintenance

Low
Medium
High

Linnaea x grandiflora: Texture

Fine
Medium
Coarse

Linnaea x grandiflora Cultural Conditions

Linnaea x grandiflora: 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 x grandiflora: Soil pH

Acid (<6.0)
Alkaline (>8.0)
Neutral (6.0-8.0)

Linnaea x grandiflora: Soil Drainage

Frequent Standing Water
Good Drainage
Moist
Occasional Flooding
Occasionally Dry
Occasionally Wet
Very Dry

Linnaea x grandiflora: 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 x grandiflora: NC Region

Coastal
Mountains
Piedmont

Linnaea x grandiflora: USDA Plant Hardiness Zone

thermostat
5a
thermostat
5b
thermostat
6a
thermostat
6b
thermostat
7a
thermostat
7b
thermostat
8a
thermostat
8b
thermostat
9a
thermostat
9b

Linnaea x grandiflora: Soil Texture

Clay
High Organic Matter
Loam (Silt)
Sand
Shallow Rocky

Linnaea x grandiflora Landscape

Linnaea x grandiflora: 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 x grandiflora: 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 x grandiflora: 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 x grandiflora: 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 x grandiflora: Attracts

Bats
Bees
Butterflies
Frogs
Hummingbirds
Moths
Pollinators
Predatory Insects
Reptiles
Small Mammals
Songbirds
Specialized Bees

Linnaea x grandiflora Bark

Linnaea x grandiflora: Surface/Attachment

Bumpy
Exfoliating
Fissured
Furrowed
Lenticels
Papery
Patchy
Peeling
Ridges
Scaly
Shaggy
Shiny
Shredding
Smooth
Spongy