Every growing season brings new and exciting plants to market and Spring 2024 will be no exception. Loma Vista Nursery is currently growing three exciting new introductions for the coming season. They are Wine & Spirits® (Weigela florida) and Fizzy Mizzy® Sweetspire (Itea virginica) under the Proven Winners brand and Eclipse® Bigleaf Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) for Bailey Nurseries. For more information about Loma Vista Nursery-grown plants, visit our plant catalog online.
Weigela ‘Wine & Spirits’® (Weigela florida) – Photo: Proven Winners® ColorChoice®
Wine & Spirits Weigela
It’s no wonder why Proven Winners has named ‘Wine & Spirits’ weigela its 2024 Flowering Shrub of the Year. Updated from its classic ‘Wine & Roses’ weigela, this new variety is aesthetically pleasing in the landscape. Black/purple foliage contrasts with clusters of bright white flowers, which blossom from lime green buds in spring. Tubular flowers attract hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. This deciduous shrub resists deer.
Plant ‘Wine & Spirits’ weigela alone in a small space where an attractive display or groundcover is needed. Add it as an accent plant in perennial beds and borders. For drama, plant three or more together as a low hedge. A small shrub with a mounded habit, it is an ideal selection for larger containers. Peonies and coreopsis make excellent companion plants for this weigela, especially those that produce yellow or pink flowers.
‘Wine & Spirits’ weigela blooms on old wood. Prune and shape this shrub following its bloom-time in late spring or early summer. Garden height and spread at maturity is 3- to 5-feet. When planting two or more shrubs, space 3- to 5-feet apart. ‘Wine & Spirits’ weigela prefers alkaline soil. Provide an average amount of water. Plant this shrub in the sun, in USDA Hardiness Zones 4 to 8.
Fizzy Mizzy® Sweetspire (Itea virginica) – Photo: Proven Winners® ColorChoice®
Fizzy Mizzy Sweetspire
The Proven Winners’ 2024 Landscape Shrub of the Year, Fizzy Mizzy brings the fun! You can almost hear this sweetspire’s flower spikes sizzle in its upright display. Bottle-brush-like blooms are the brightest white with a light, sweet fragrance that teases bees and butterflies. Sweetspire blooms in early- and mid-summer. Elegant dark green foliage starts the season and then turns shades of burgundy and red in fall. It is an attractive shrub in borders, groupings and en masse, and as an edging or groundcover plant. Combine it with hydrangeas and late-blooming azaleas.
Whatever the location in the landscape – be sure to plant Fizzy Mizzy where you can enjoy its fragrance. New growth begins on this shrub in early spring. After that, prune any spent stems or branches and add a 1- to 2-inch layer of mulch to help retain moisture. This shrub is not fussy about water or soil requirements, preferring an average requirement of each.
Fizzy Mizzy Sweetspire flowers reasonably well in shade, but isn’t shy in the sun. Compact and tidy, it has a uniform habit in a petite package. Fizzy Mizzy is only 2- to 3-feet tall at maturity, with a similar spread. Space shrubs 2- to 3-feet apart when planting two or more. This shrub performs best in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9.
Hydrangea ‘Eclipse® Bigleaf’ (Hydrangea macrophylla) – Photo: Bailey® Nurseries First Editions®
Eclipse Hydrangea
Wow. Just wow. Bring on 2024’s newest bigleaf hydrangea cultivar for bold color and gorgeous foliage. We’re not sure which is the star on this magnificent shrub. Almost-black foliage stays dark from the start of the season to its finish, even in warm climates. Reblooming cranberry flowers with cream-white centers provide striking contrast. Eclipse Hydrangea stands alone as a unique specimen shrub, foundation plant or container accent. For bold, vibrant color, add it to perennial borders with low-growing seasonal plants. Bring cuttings of Eclipse Hydrangea indoors for vases in the home.
Eclipse Hydrangea is a low-maintenance plant in the landscape, primarily for its disease resistance to powdery mildew and Cercospora leaf spot. Old wood flower buds begin forming in the fall. Avoid cutting this shrub back until after mid-June. To boost bloom production, apply a granular, slow-release fertilizer in spring and again in early July. This hydrangea prefers nutrient rich, moist soil. Water deeply as soil begins to dry. Mulch well to provide winter protection.
This hydrangea performs well in full sun and partial shade. A smaller compact shrub, Ellipse Hydrangea’s height and width is 3- to 5-feet. Space 3- to 10-feet apart. Plant in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9.
Learn About the Loma Vista Nursery Family and Our Landscape Plants
Loma Vista Nursery’s staff members are experts in the field. We love helping people learn and understand more about plants. Visit our plant catalog for information about shrubs, trees and perennial plants that are ideal for Midwest landscapes. To get answers to plant-related questions, send an email to sales@lomavistanursery.com or call (785) 229-7200.
Connect With Us
Stay current on our plant recommendations, growing tips and more by following us on social media.
