Cultivars
'Francis Mason'
This evergreen shrub grows up to 1.5m (5ft) forming a compact habit with reddish brown canes and copper coloured shoots. The leaves are mottled with yellow margins and the tube-shaped white flowers appear prolifically from summer to autumn.
It is used in border planting for screening and is suitable for coastal and mountain regions. It grows in a full sun to semi-shaded position on most well drained moderately fertile soils and is frost and drought tolerant. Once established it has a medium water requirement, (Scale: 2-drops from 3) and responds to mulching with an occasional deep watering during dry periods.
Note
The following cultivars may only be available in the USA or UK
'Compacta'
This plant grows to 1.2m (4ft) tall and has pinkish white flowers; otherwise, it is the same as the species.
'Confetti'ä
This shrub has a dense compact habit and grows to 600mm (2ft) tall. It produces cream-margined leaves that turn rosecolourin winter tolerating full sun to semi shade. It is used for mass planting or as a ground cover.
'Dwarf Purple'
This shrub forms a low dense habit to 770mm (2½ft) tall. From summer to autumn lavender pink flower are continually produced and the dark green leaves turn rich reddish purple in autumn and in cold climates the leaves persist on the plant until winter.
'EdwardGoucher'
This plant is a cross between Abelia xgrandifloraand Abelia schumannii. This small semi evergreen shrub has glossy green leaves that are bronze when young and produces profuse lilac pink flowers from summer to autumn.
'Golden Glow'
This shrub produces foliage with a golden yellow margin and white flowers.
'John Creech'
This shrub forms a dense upright-mounded habit with dark green lustrous leaves.
'Little Richard'
This plant has a compact dense habit to 1m (3ft) tall and 1m (3ft) wide with glossy dark green leaves and produces prolific white flowers. The leaves persist on the plant throughout winter.
'Prostrata'
This shrub is low growing and spreading to 600mm (2ft) tall and the foliage turns bronze purple during winter or maybe deciduous in certain climates.
'Really Pink'
This plant produces pink flowers and the leaves persist throughout winter, otherwise it is the same as the species.
'Sherwoodii'
This shrub has a dense compact habit to 1m (3½ft) high and up to 1.2m (4ft) wide. In winter, the leaves turn purple green. It is a good plant for mass planting in an open and sunny position.
'Sunrise'
This vigorous shrub grows to 1m (3ft) and produces leaves with a golden margin.