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Plant care

Weigela 'Red Prince' (Red Prince Weigela) care

Weigela 'Red Prince'

Also called Red Prince Weigela.

RHS H7USDA 4-8Mildly toxic to petsIndoor 150-180 cm tall

Watering rhythm

7-10days

When the top 5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-10 days during active growth

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Light

Direct sun (at least 4-6 hours)

Soil

Well-drained, fertile loam or amended garden soil

Humidity

40-70%

Temp

-25 to 35°C

Pet safety

Mildly toxic to pets

Mature size

150-180 cm tall

Care at a glance

Light

Aim for at least 4-6 hours of direct sun on the leaves. Full sun (6+ hours) is strongly preferred for maximum repeat flowering. Part shade is acceptable but significantly reduces the secondary bloom flush and can cause a looser, more sprawling habit. If your only bright window faces south, that's perfect for weigela 'red prince' — same window any aroid would fry on.

Watering

Watering weigela 'red prince': when the top 5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-10 days during active growth. The number that matters isn't the day of the week — it's how dry the top 2-3 cm of the pot feels. A finger in the soil tells you more than a watering app. After every watering, tip the saucer. Regular watering in the first season after planting is important for establishment. Mature plants tolerate dry spells but flower best with consistent moisture. Apply 5-8 cm of mulch around the drip line.

Soil and pot

Weigela 'Red Prince' grows best in well-drained, fertile loam or amended garden soil. Tolerates a broad pH range of 5.5-7.5 and a variety of soil textures including heavier clay-loam, provided drainage is adequate. Amend heavy soils with grit and compost at planting. A pot with a working drainage hole is non-negotiable for this species — even free-draining mix will turn soggy in a closed planter. If you love the look of a decorative pot without a hole, use it as a cachepot around an inner nursery pot you can lift out to water.

Humidity and temperature

Weigela 'Red Prince' sits happiest at around 40-70% humidity and -25 to 35°C (-13 to 95°F). Outdoor shrub; undemanding about humidity. Performs well across temperate climate zones without intervention. If you keep the room above year-round and avoid placing the plant near a cold draught, a hot radiator, or an air-conditioning vent, you have already handled the two biggest indoor stressors.

Fertilising

Feed weigela 'red prince' sparingly. Apply a balanced slow-release fertiliser in early spring. After the first bloom flush in late spring, a light feed with a high-potassium fertiliser (e.g. tomato feed diluted) helps fuel the midsummer repeat bloom. Skip fertiliser entirely on a stressed, recently-repotted, or actively wilting plant — fertiliser salts make damage worse, not better. Wait for a round of healthy new growth before resuming a feeding rhythm.

Common problems

Below are the issues we see most often on weigela 'red prince' in the Growli community. Each is annotated with the most common cause so you know where to start.

  • Sparse repeat bloom — Ensure adequate sun and do not prune after late spring — cutting in summer removes the growth that carries the secondary flower buds.
  • Powdery mildew — Can appear in late summer under dry-root, high-humidity conditions. Improve air circulation and water at the base rather than overhead.
  • Aphids — Clusters of greenfly on shoot tips in spring. Remove by hand or treat with insecticidal soap.
  • Stem dieback — Occasional dieback of individual stems due to winter damage or canker. Prune to healthy wood and disinfect tools between cuts.

Companion plants

Weigela 'Red Prince' pairs well with Salvia x sylvestris, Calamagrostis 'Karl Foerster', Penstemon 'Garnet', and Leucanthemum x superbum. These are species with similar light and water needs, so you can group them in the same room or on the same shelf and water as a batch.

Propagation

Softwood cuttings taken in early summer root readily in a perlite-grit mix with rooting hormone and bottom heat. Hardwood cuttings (20 cm sections) inserted in open ground in late autumn are also successful. Propagation is the cheapest, most satisfying way to expand a collection — and it doubles as insurance against losing a mature plant to an accident. Take a backup cutting once the parent is established and healthy.

Toxicity to pets

Weigela 'Red Prince' is mildly toxic to pets. Weigela 'Red Prince' is not individually listed by the ASPCA. No significant toxicity is documented, but as a genus Weigela lacks ASPCA non-toxic clearance; mild gastrointestinal upset in pets is possible if plant material is ingested. If you keep cats, dogs, or curious children in the house, weigh placement carefully — a high shelf or a hanging planter is enough for casual safety. For severe ingestion incidents, call your local vet and the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (in the US, 888-426-4435).

Pet-safety status is sourced from the ASPCA Toxic and Non-Toxic Plant List, which catalogues the most-asked-about plants for cats, dogs, and horses.

Weigela 'Red Prince' care — frequently asked questions

What is the common name for Weigela 'Red Prince'?

Weigela 'Red Prince' is most commonly called Weigela 'Red Prince', but it is also known as Red Prince Weigela. The names refer to the same species, so care instructions for Weigela 'Red Prince' apply identically to anything sold as Red Prince Weigela.

How much light does weigela 'red prince' need?

Weigela 'Red Prince' grows best in direct sun (at least 4-6 hours). Full sun (6+ hours) is strongly preferred for maximum repeat flowering. Part shade is acceptable but significantly reduces the secondary bloom flush and can cause a looser, more sprawling habit.

How often should I water weigela 'red prince'?

Water weigela 'red prince' when the top 5 cm of soil is dry, roughly every 7-10 days during active growth. Regular watering in the first season after planting is important for establishment. Mature plants tolerate dry spells but flower best with consistent moisture. Apply 5-8 cm of mulch around the drip line. The finger-test (or lifting the pot to feel its weight) beats a fixed weekly calendar because pot size, light, and season all change how fast the soil dries.

Is weigela 'red prince' toxic to cats and dogs?

Weigela 'Red Prince' is mildly toxic to pets. Weigela 'Red Prince' is not individually listed by the ASPCA. No significant toxicity is documented, but as a genus Weigela lacks ASPCA non-toxic clearance; mild gastrointestinal upset in pets is possible if plant material is ingested.

What USDA hardiness zone does weigela 'red prince' grow in?

Weigela 'Red Prince' is rated for USDA zone 4-8 and RHS hardiness H7. Outside that range, grow it as a container plant that overwinters indoors before the first hard frost.

Weigela 'Red Prince' deep-dive guides

Every aspect of weigela 'red prince' care, each with its own calibrated guide:

Featured in these plant shortlists

Weigela 'Red Prince' qualifies for 4 curated Growli shortlists — each one filtered objectively from our structured plant-care library, so the selection is consistent and checkable:

Related guides

Weigela 'Red Prince' is also commonly called Red Prince Weigela.