Brilliantina Abelia

Brilliantina® glossy abelia is a compact, mounded cultivar with green, yellow, and orange variegated leaves, dark red stems, and fragrant white flowers in summer. It typically grows 3–4 feet tall by 3–5 feet wide in USDA zones 6–9, making it useful in mixed borders, low hedges, and smaller shrub groupings. ## Form and landscape use The foliage provides color beyond the bloom period, and the dense, tidy branching is less prone to long, irregular shoots than many abelias. Use Brilliantina in the middle of a mixed border, along an edge, in a mass planting, or in a large container. It is also suited to a low informal hedge. White fluted flowers attract hummingbirds and other pollinators; the cultivar also has dark red stems and orange color in its variegation. ## Growing conditions Plant in full sun or part shade and moist, well-drained soil. Spring Meadow says the plant tolerates periods of dry soil but grows best with regular moisture; Proven Winners classifies its water need as average. The breeder lists heat tolerance and deer resistance. The plant is described as semi-evergreen, so leaf retention can vary with winter conditions even though some retail profiles call it evergreen. ## Cultivar, breeder, and patent status The cultivar denomination is ‘KEYFLY’; Brilliantina® is its Proven Winners ColorChoice name. Spring Meadow Nursery identifies Klemens and Lena Keysers as the breeders. Japan’s official cultivar registry records ‘Keyfly’ as a mutation of ‘ABELOPS’, selected by Klemens Keysers. The breeder’s protected-variety list marks Brilliantina **PPAF** (plant patent applied for); I found no granted U.S. plant patent number to report. See the [Spring Meadow cultivar profile](https://springmeadownursery.com/plantfinder/brilliantina-abelia-00400), [Proven Winners profile](https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/abelia/brilliantina-abelia-x-grandiflora), and [Japanese cultivar registration](https://www.maff.go.jp/j/shokusan/hinshu/gazette/touroku/contents/573gaiyou.pdf). ## Maintenance Low maintenance. The compact habit needs little shaping; if desired, prune lightly in early spring. Summer trimming can remove flowers, though the breeder notes that it encourages colorful new growth. Water during establishment and extended dry spells, and avoid planting in poorly drained ground.