Beauty
Bush
Kolkwitzia amabalis 'Pink Cloud'
Mature
Height: 12-15 ft.
Growth Rate: Moderate
Soil: Average, well-drained, very adaptable
Light
Requirements: Sun/partial shade
Foliage: Gray-green 3" leaves
Flower/Fruit: Small light pink flowers sometimes
followed by brown fruits
Pruning: None is really necessary except for
cutting out older branches immediately following blooms. It can
be cut to the ground following bloom time if you feel that it
needs renewal.
Hardy to Zone 4
This is a shrub of immense proportions (it can grow 15 feet tall
by 8 feet wide) and must be placed carefully. It can be used as
a specimen plant but it works best in a shrub border because,
as the shrub matures, it begins to look bare toward the bottom.
It is a fairly nondescript shrub except in April when it is covered
with small tubular pale pink or white blooms. The branches arch
which gives the impression of a cascading fountain. For a brief
period in early April, this plant is the stand-out in my garden
- simply stunning! The flowers hold up well for several weeks
and are then followed by attractive gray seed heads. This old
fashioned shrub is not seen much today but it is a nice addition
to a garden that can meet its space requirements.
