The weigela florida 'Red Prince' genus was named in honor of the German scientist, Christian Weigel. An ancient species from Asia, fossil evidence suggests these plants have been present for millions of years, although they did not reach Europe until the 19th century. This hardy plant performs best when in full sun. The tube-shaped flowers are the perfect fit for hummingbirds and the sweet nectar attracts a host of other pollinators.
The weigela florida 'Red Prince' is not a heavy drinker, so if your garden gets at least 2.5 cm of rain every 7 to 10 days, the shrub should grow just fine. If not, you will need to water it manually to compensate, with this also being necessary during severe heatwaves. Watering is best performed by placing a garden hose near the roots of the plant and allowing a gentle stream of water to slowly but thoroughly soak the soil. It is also best to water your plants in the morning, rather than the evening, so that excess water can evaporate during the day. If you water at night, the evaporation rate is much slower, and damp conditions quickly attract diseases.
Although not necessary, the weigela florida 'Red Prince' benefits from occasional fertilizing. A slow-release tree and shrub fertilizer, with a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (N-P-K) ratio of 19-8-10, works well. For added benefits, combine this with an iron and sulfur fertilizer, as this will ensure deep-green foliage. Fertilizers are best applied in the late winter or early spring.
The weigela florida 'Red Prince' grows best when exposed to full sun, but it can also tolerate a small amount of shade. A minimum of 4 hours of sunlight is essential in order for the plant to flower in abundance. If variegated varieties don't receive enough sunlight, they may revert to a plain green shade.
Pruning can help in maintaining and shaping the weigela florida 'Red Prince'. Since the plant flowers from buds that were produced on the previous year's branches, pruning is best done in the late spring, after the plant has finished flowering. Shear the branch you want to remove at its base, where it connects to other branches. Make sure that your tools and gloves are sharp, and always disinfect your pruners so that you don't spread any diseases. Avoid pruning when temperatures are low - this could expose the plant to frostbite.
The weigela florida 'Red Prince' is a tough and resilient flowering bush. It handles the cold well, withstanding temperatures down to -30 ℃, making it best suited to USDA hardiness zones 4-8. The weigela florida 'Red Prince' has average water requirements - it will grow well on its own in areas that receive 2.5 cm of rainfall a week.
The weigela florida 'Red Prince' can grow in most soils but prefers a rich, loamy soil type with good drainage. Improve drainage by adding plenty of compost or composted manure to the planting bed. this will also significantly enrich your soil. A soil pH of between 5.5 and 7.5 works well for the weigela florida 'Red Prince', with the plant able to tolerate both slightly acidic and slightly alkaline conditions.
The weigela florida 'Red Prince' is best planted in the spring from seedlings, which are widely available in garden stores. Start by digging a hole at least twice as wide, but no deeper, than the plant's root ball. Give it plenty of space, because it will eventually grow up to 3 m wide. Mix some organic compost with the native soil in order to enrich it and improve drainage, before placing this back in, together with the seedling. Water your young weigela florida 'Red Prince' generously.
