Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Weigela florida 'Kolsunn'
Magical Fantasy Weigela
- Family
- Caprifoliaceae
- Height
- 4 to 5 feet
- Width
- 4 to 5 feet
- Flower color
- Soft pink tubular flowers
- Foliage color
- Variegated foliage with green leaves and creamy-white to yellowish edges or markings
- Bloom time
- Late spring
- Light
- Full sun to partial shade
- Water
- Regular
- Maintenance
- Low; prune after flowering to shape and encourage new growth
- Growing zone
- USDA Hardiness zones 4 to 8
- Wildlife
- Attracts hummingbirds and butterflies
About this plant
Weigela florida 'Kolsunn' produces profuse clusters of soft pink, tubular flowers in late spring to early summer, with some blooms fading toward white as they mature and attracting hummingbirds and other pollinators. Ovate green leaves are bordered by crisp, pure white margins, creating bright variegated foliage throughout the growing season. Young stems develop dark reddish-brown coloring, adding another layer of interest to the rounded, outward-spreading framework.
Discovered in 1996 in Amstelveen, Netherlands, 'Kolsunn' originated as a naturally occurring mutation of Weigela florida 'Variegata' and was selected for its distinctive green-and-white foliage. Marketed as Magical® Fantasy, its colorful leaves and abundant flowers make it well suited to mixed shrub borders, foundation plantings, informal hedges, and mass plantings, providing color before and after its flowering season.
Companion plants
Phlox · Smoke bush · Red valerian · Blue oat grass · Stonecrop · Daisy bush
Design tip
Break up expanses of solid green with Magical Fantasy Weigela’s cream-edged foliage. Its rounded, gently arching form creates a broad patch of lighter color that can visually open a dense border, while soft pink flowers add a subtle seasonal accent.
