Weigela 'Dark Horse':

  

 

 

 Hillier's Manuel Lists 45 Weigela cultivars and hybrids, one would have thought that the genus could not possibly be improved.

Back in 1991 Weigela florida 'Foliss Purpureis' was the best of the dark leaf varieties. However the leaf of this form tends to fade in the heat of summer. Using 'Foliss Purpureis as the mother plant I tried using pollen from 'Rubidor', 'Victoria', 'Evita' and florida variegate; not exactly a cocktail, but a number of individual crosses. It is hard to believe that it was pollen from florida variegate that would produce one seedling with a superb dark leaf.

In 1997 David Tristram of Walberton Nursery and Geoff Needham of PlantHaven visited my garden in Southampton. By that time the plant had grown into an exceptional shrub 2ft x 2ft. They agreed to start trailing and the rest is history.

David Tristram christened the plant 'Dark Horse'.

Weigelas 'Blazeaway' & 'Ruby Anniversary' where also raised in 1991 as part of the same breeding program.
 

USA Plant Patent

Propagation  licence required

Courtesy of PlantHaven.com (USA): (home page)

Agents:

PlantHaven.com (USA): Main page for Weigela 'Dark Horse'

 

 Stockists:

Monrovia

Summer winds

Big Dipper Farm