Beautybush

Kolkwitzia amabilis 'Pink Cloud'

$38.00 Sold out

| Hardiness Zones 4-8

Ernest Wilson came across this shrub in the late summer of 1901, up in the mountains above Ichang in western Hubei, and sent its seed home to Veitch in Exeter. Of the two thousand or so Asian plants he introduced to the West, "Chinese" Wilson counted Kolkwitzia amabilis among his finest, which is no small ranking once you consider the company it was keeping. Dirr, in the Manual of Woody Landscape Plants, is content to let the explorer have the last word. The beautybush flowered in England by 1910 and went on to become very nearly the defining garden shrub of America between the wars, then quietly slipped out of fashion. It turns up far less often now than it ought to.

'Pink Cloud' is the form to want. Selected from a seedling at Wisley in 1946, and still carrying the RHS Award of Garden Merit, they show a deeper, cleaner pink than the wild type on flowers a shade larger. In mid to late spring the arching branches vanish under paired, bell-shaped blooms, soft pink flaring out of burgundy buds, each throat brushed with yellow. The whole shrub becomes a fountain, six to ten feet of it, the branches bowed gently by the weight of all that flower. Older stems exfoliate to a quiet brown, so there is something to hold the eye once the bloom has passed.

Easy in full sun, forgiving of most soils with clay among them, and steady through drought once it has settled. Hardy to zone 4, and the deer tend to walk on by. Prune after flowering rather than before, since next spring's flowers are already set on this year's wood. Give it room and a backdrop of green to spill against, and you will spend every May watching the branches go under beneath the pink.

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Hardiness Zones USDA Zones 4-8
Sun Full Sun and Part Shade
Soil
Mature size Height: 6-8 Feet / Spread: 6-8 Feet
Growth Rate Moderate
Seasonality Deciduous

Flower, Fruit and Foliage

Flower. The flowers come in pairs, as the honeysuckle family insists, opening from buds the color of dark wine into bells of soft, clear pink. 'Pink Cloud' carries that pink deeper, on flowers a shade larger than the wild type. Each throat is washed with yellow and lined in fine white hairs, the mouth flaring into five lobes. They gather in loose clusters along the previous year's wood, and in mid to late spring there are so many of them that the arching branches bend under the weight. A faint sweetness hangs over them on a warm afternoon. The bees work them steadily, and the hummingbirds find them too.

Fruit. The flowers give way to small dry capsules, bristled and faintly feathered, no more than a quarter inch long. They cling through autumn and well into winter, dressing the bare branches in a fine tawny stubble that takes a frost beautifully. Easy to overlook in a catalog, less so on the plant in January.

Foliage. The leaves are opposite and broadly ovate, three inches or so, tapering to a point, dark green and lightly toothed along the edge. Through summer they make a dense, matte backdrop, the kind that flatters whatever is flowering in front of it. In fall they turn yellow, though no one has ever planted the shrub on that account.

Read full care instruction manual here.

Light. Give it full sun. It will live in light shade, but the flowering thins in proportion, so sun is the price of the spring display.

Soil. Undemanding. Average garden soil suits it, clay included, as long as the ground drains. Slightly acidic to neutral is ideal, though it is not fussy about it.

Water. Water regularly through the first season while the roots take hold. After that it carries dry spells well and asks for little, though a deep soak in a long drought is always welcome.

Hardiness. Reliably hardy to zone 4 and easy through zone 8, which covers all of the Southeast and most of the country besides.

Pruning. This is the one thing worth getting right. 'Pink Cloud' flowers on old wood, on growth made the year before, so prune as soon as the blooms fade and not later. Cut in late winter and you cut off spring. To keep an older plant from going leggy and bare-kneed, take out a few of the oldest stems at the base each year once it has finished flowering. It takes the renewal in stride, and will forgive a hard cut when one is overdue.

Habit and placement. Plan for six to ten feet, near enough as wide as tall, with an arching fountain of a form and a tendency to sucker at the margins. Give it room to spill rather than something to fight, and set a backdrop of green behind it so the pink has somewhere to read against.

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Here’s a closer look at how we produce our plants:

From rooting to shipping, our top priority is ensuring you receive healthy, thriving plants for your garden’s success.

The majority of our plants are carefully cultivated from rooted cuttings, while we also utilize propagation methods such as seed, air layering, and grafting, thoughtfully chosen to suit each plant’s unique needs.

Our plants are cultivated using sustainable practices, including organic soil blends and eco-friendly pest management, ensuring they thrive while minimizing environmental impact.

We are proud to contribute to local biodiversity through ongoing donations to the Aiken Arboretum and support for local wildlife conservation efforts, helping to preserve and enhance our community’s natural ecosystems.

Grown in Aiken, South Carolina

At Woodlanders, we are committed to quality.

All our plant material is carefully propagated, grown, and nurtured at our humble nursery in Aiken, South Carolina.

Learn more about Woodlanders here.

Plant Success Tip #1

Unpack Promptly

Carefully unpack your plant as soon as it arrives. Check the roots and soil to ensure they are still moist. If the roots feel dry, lightly mist or water them before proceeding with planting or temporary storage.

Plant Success Tip #2

Acclimate Your Plant

Allow your plant to adjust to its new environment by placing it in a sheltered spot for a day or two before planting, especially if it has traveled a long distance. Avoid exposing it to extreme temperatures right away.

Plant Success Tip #3

Follow Planting and Care Instructions

Plant your new arrival as soon as possible, following the specific care guidelines provided. If planting outdoors isn’t immediately possible, temporarily pot it in well-draining soil to maintain health until conditions are suitable.

Read Care Instructions

Frequently Asked Questions

What to expect upon delivery

All our plants are sold in 1-gallon sizes, though the height of each plant can vary depending on its growth rate and seasonality, typically ranging from 1/2 to 2.5 feet.

Each plant is carefully packaged with its roots enclosed in a secure plastic bag containing moist soil, forming a compact root ball. To ensure safe transport, the box is padded with recycled newspaper, providing both stability and eco-friendly protection from weather during shipping.
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