The Plant of the Month for August 2020 is Weigela ‘Red Prince’ of the family Caprifoliaceae (the honeysuckle family). It is a hardy, deciduous shrub and is a good all-rounder. It will grow on most soils and in exposed or sheltered positions and flowers in the Arboretum through much of the summer, growing to height of about 2.5m. It is good for feeding pollinating insects.
The genus Weigela honours Christian Weigel (1748-1831) who was a professor at the University of Greifswald in Germany.