Mucho Gusto Abelia

Mucho Gusto® is a compact, low-growing glossy abelia selected for bright variegated leaves: silver-green blades are edged in creamy white, with yellow-green new growth. Its rounded, slightly spreading framework pairs summer-long white flowers with a soft fragrance, giving smaller borders color beyond the bloom window. ## Form and landscape use Expect about 2–3.5 ft (0.6–1.1 m) high and 3–5 ft (0.9–1.5 m) wide. Use it along a border or bed edge, as a low informal hedge or specimen, in a mass planting, or in a large container. It suits mixed shrub and perennial plantings; leave room for the branches to spread rather than forcing a narrow formal hedge that needs constant clipping. White summer flowers are fragrant and attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and other pollinators. Spring Meadow also includes Mucho Gusto in its Deer Proof™ shrub program. See the [Spring Meadow cultivar profile](https://springmeadownursery.com/plantfinder/mucho-gusto-01650), [Proven Winners ColorChoice profile](https://www.provenwinnerscolorchoice.com/product/mucho-gusto-abelia/), and [Deer Proof™ plant program](https://springmeadownursery.com/plant_programs/deer-proof-plant-program). ## Growing conditions Grow in USDA Zones 6–9, in full sun or part shade. It tolerates full shade, but flowering becomes limited and the foliage colors look muddier. In hot southern or western gardens, some afternoon shade helps protect the color. Average, well-drained soil and average moisture suit the plant. Established shrubs tolerate some drought, but severe water stress can reduce flowering and fade the variegation, so use it as a water-wise shrub after establishment rather than a no-irrigation plant. The breeder describes it as semi-evergreen; winter leaf retention depends on climate. ## Breeder, brand, and plant patent The cultivar denomination is ‘Muabd’. U.S. patent records describe it as a natural branch mutation of *Abelia chinensis* ‘Variegata’, discovered by Valérie Pouillart at a nursery in Gien, France, in 2016. Proven Winners ColorChoice introduced it under the Mucho Gusto® trade name. U.S. Plant Patent **PP36,214** issued October 22, 2024; see the [patent record](https://patents.justia.com/patent/PP36214). ## Maintenance Low maintenance once established. Routine pruning is unnecessary; if shaping is needed, trim lightly in late winter or early spring. Summer pruning removes flowers but encourages colorful new growth. Keep the soil well drained, mulch the root zone, and water during prolonged dry weather when preserving foliage color and flowering is important. The brand says no special fertilizer is required.