There are not many shrubs that are as beautiful and evergreen as Kaleidoscope Abelia.
They change their color throughout the year and has minimal caring needs, making it one of the finest selection for first-time gardeners.
They are a dwarf variant of Abelia. They are absolutely nontoxic to pets and humans, and their flowering months begin in the middle of May and last till October.
Kaleidoscope Abelia is basically a deciduous shrub that changes its flowering from season to season, they cast a majestic view when they grow from golden yellow in spring to orange-red in falls.
It can grow around 3 to 4 feet wide and tall, providing good visual beauty in the garden. It can grow well in both sunny and shady conditions, making it ideal for every season.
Why Does Kaleidoscope Abelia Need Companion Plants?
Kaleidoscope Abelia is an easygoing plant that enables every other plant to grow well near them.
If Kaleidoscope Abelia is planted near purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea), it creates a natural contrast and visual beauty. A pinkish-colored coneflower and a shiny goldish abelia shrub sharing the field create a wonderful combo.
Plants like Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’), which has a very similar leaf color, just increase the visual attraction.
Many other plants, if planted nearby, provide different nutrients for the soil, which can be beneficial for the growth of Kaleidoscope Abelia.
6 Best Kaleidoscope Abelia Companion Plants
Now that we know why Kaleidoscope abelia needs companion planting, it is time to know what some of the best plants are that can be planted near Kaleidoscope abelia, increasing its beauty in the garden field:
1. Maiden Grass
A Poaceae family member, Maiden grass is an ornamental plant that increases the visual beauty of your garden if planted next to Kaleidoscope abelia.
The green foliage of the plant, often grown in clumps, provides a good contrast to the garden.
Maiden grass is often tall and can grow up to 9 feet at its peak, and if planted behind the Kaleidoscope abelia, which grows at 3 to 4 feet, will create a good backdrop and will look stunning.
Maiden grass has the same growing needs as Kaleidoscope abelia; they both require full to partial sunlight exposure to grow well.
2. Heavenly Bamboo
Commonly known as Sacred bamboo or Nandina domestica, Heavenly bamboo is a good companion of Kaleidoscope abelia, helping each other grow well.
A Berberidaceae family member, Heavenly bamboo is an evergreen shrub that gives bright red berries and glow to your garden bed.
Heavenly bamboo is a fast-growing plant and has almost similar growing needs as Kaleidoscope abelia; both these plants can thrive in full sunlight but can tolerate a bit of shade.
3. Snow White Indian Hawthorne
Rhaphiolepis indica, popularly known as the Snow White Indian hawthorn, is one of the prettiest flowers you will ever see.
It is considered one of the best companion plants of Kaleidoscope abelia, as the white flowers complex the different colored foliage produced by the abelias.
Both these plants share the same growing needs, as they both need full sun to thrive and can tolerate some occasional shade.
4. Lily of The Nile
African lily, famously known as the Lily of the Nile, is a very good neighbor of Kaleidoscope abelia.
Lily of the Nile is a perennial plant that produces a beautiful blue-colored flower and often grows slowly, which means it will take 3 to 4 years to fully grow.
Belonging to the Amaryllidaceae family, Lily needs almost 6 to 8 hours of sunlight to grow well.
Kaleidoscope Abelia and Lily of the Nile both gel well together as they both have almost similar growing needs. They like growing in moist and acidic soil.
5. Pittosporum
Another plant that makes it to the list of good companion plants of Kaleidoscope Abelia is Pittosporum.
Commonly known as Australian laurel, they belong to the Cheesewoods family, which is a native of Australia.
Pittosporum has a very sweet scent and a cute creamy white flower with five petals. Both these plants share similar growing requirements.
Kaleidoscope abelia likes to grow in well-drained soil, and Pittosporum enjoys the same soil condition as well.
6. Catmint
A Lamiaceae family member, catmint is a perennial plant that has a tender smell that attracts cats and is named Catmint.
It has a white to purple flower, which changes its color throughout and has lavender foliage.
Growing requirements of both Catmint and Kaleidoscope abelia are, however, similar, as they both require full sun to thrive and like a well-draining soil with a slight acidity in nature.
2 Worst Companion Plants for Kaleidoscope Abelia
There are certain plants that should not be planted around Kaleidoscope abelia, or else they will stunt the growth of either the Kaleidoscope abelia plant or the planted ones.
1. Camellias
You should avoid planting Kaleidoscope abelia with camellias as they are shade-adore species Kaleidoscope abelia requires full sun to grow and thrive. Shade loving plants like Hydrangeas should also be avoided by planting near Kaleidoscope abelia.
2. Black-Eyed Susan
Any drought tolerant plant should not be planted near Kaleidoscope abelia; one such plant is the black-eyed susan.
Kaleidoscope abelia requires regular watering, although not wet feet, but a well draining soil and regular watering is essential for its growth. Whereas drought tolerant plants like lavender, bee balm, and astilbes may not be a good option for planting near Kaleidoscope abelia.
What are Kaleidoscope Abelia’s Growing Requirements?
Kaleidoscope abelia needs minimum care and has very simple growing requirements. If you want your Kaleidoscope abelia to thrive and grow without any fuss, you should know about its growing requirements and take note of it.
Let us have a look at some basic growing requirements of Kaleidoscope abelia.
1. Light Requirements
The sunlight requirements of Kaleidoscope Abelia are very simple. They need full sunlight to thrive and can tolerate partial shade.
If grown in an environment with scorching heat, it is better to provide a bit of afternoon shade to prevent wilting.
2. Soil Requirements
Kaleidoscope abelia is very comfortable in almost any and every soil condition. However, the ideal soil for Kaleidoscope Abelia would be well-drained, moist, and fertile.
They may like a mulch of organic matter, which can help increase their productivity, and a slightly acidic soil is best.
3. Water Requirements
Once Kaleidoscope abelia is established, it can be drought tolerant, but keep on watering them on a regular basis to prevent them from wilting.
In the early growing days, it needs frequent watering. On hot days, water them once or twice a week, and let the soil dry before watering again.
4. Temperature Requirements
Kaleidoscope abelia likes moderate temperatures to grow and do well around full sunlight, which is not too hot. It can handle minimum temperatures of -10ºF. The sweet spot is 60 to 75ºF. It is drought-tolerant and requires low to medium humidity for growth.
Grass Diseases and Pests
Like every other plant, Kaleidoscope abelia is open to some growing issues that hamper the overall growth of the plant and can infect the garden bed.
It is important to know any and all growing diseases and pests of the plant to ensure the long life of the plant.
Let us know some of the issues in Kaleidoscope Abelia’s growth.
1. Underwatering
The main and common reason why Kaleidoscope Abelia dies is underwatering. Although they can withstand harsh summer conditions, no watering will make the soil dry out completely, which will not be good for Kaleidoscope abelia.
2. Overwatering
And just the opposite, overwatering your Kaleidoscope abelia will eventually lead to its death. As mentioned before, Kaleidoscope abelia does not like wet feet at all, overwatering can cause root rot and other infections in the plant.
3. Aphids
A very common name in the gardening area, aphids are a pest that poses a risk to the Kaleidoscope abelia plant.
Aphids are tiny green insects that like to feed on the leaves and drink wap. You can just remove them from the fingers, or a jet spray would be sufficient to remove them. If they are in numbers, go for an organic pesticide to cure.
Conclusion
Kaleidoscope abelia is an easygoing plant that makes a good companion plant for a lot of different plants. It requires minimal maintenance and care while providing a great look to your landscape.
In this article, you learned about 6 good companion plants of Kaleidoscope Abelia, which include Catmint, Heavenly Bamboo, Maiden Grass, Snow White Indian hawthorn, Pittosporum, and Lily of the Nile if planted nearby, will enhance the beauty of the garden, and also the growth of the plant.
Refrain from planting camellias, black-eyed susans, and lavenders near Kaleidoscope Abelia and regularly monitor every growing need of the plant for its long life. Do let us know in the comment box if you have any queries or suggestions.
Till then, happy planting.