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| Jan 2026 |
I am having 2nd thoughts about the Kaleidoscope (Abelia Grandiflora).After 8 months of feeding, watering, pruning, re-potting & daily observation & attention paid to this specimen, I had an epiphany..in his current configuration, this plant is not a good candidate..I think I was "blinded" by the foliage, to a large degree & way too timid in my approach to styling this little tree.
BUT, the Kaleidoscope has proven himself to be a healthy, willing plant that handled root pruning/reduction & re-potting, as well as adjusting to his environment & mini-climate of the patio. So I took my trusty pruning shears in hand in an attempt to reveal the tree that I know is hidden.
Like most commercially available plants, he is too"leggy"; I make that generalization based on my experience with specimens purchased from retail garden centers & nurseries. The growers are simply trying to produce sellable plants of a given size instead of taking the time to let nature take it's course.
Next step will be to eliminate cross-branching, redundant(over-lapping or encroaching) branches & any branches growing down or from the underside of main branches.
This is enough for now..I left a set of leaves or a bud on each remaining branch & one long "sacrificial" limb (on the right) with an adult set of leaves to help feed the plant until he regrows foliage on the pruned, shortened branches. The "sacrificial" branch, left in place for now, will help to increase the girth of the trunk & base & can be pruned or removed at a later date.
I really think I've improved this plant, if he lives & I feel fairly confident that he will..I didn't do anything that would put his life in danger.."hard" pruning? yes, but this guy has been pruned before & I've reduced the load on the roots by getting rid of so much foliage.
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