Sunny Anniversary Abelia

Sunny Anniversary® is a compact abelia selected for its unusual buttery-yellow trumpet flowers, marked with pink and orange and sweetly fragrant. It brings a long summer-to-fall display on a rounded, arching shrub with glossy green foliage that may persist through winter in milder climates. ## Landscape role Expect about 3–4 ft (0.9–1.2 m) in height and spread. The dense, branching habit suits a mixed border, low informal hedge, edging, mass planting, or a large container; it also works as a specimen where the distinctive flowers can be seen up close. The long display and fragrance add summer color, and Proven Winners lists the flowers as attractive to pollinators and the plant as deer resistant. See the [Spring Meadow cultivar profile](https://springmeadownursery.com/plantfinder/sunny-anniversary-00320) and [Proven Winners ColorChoice profile](https://www.provenwinnerscolorchoice.com/product/sunny-anniversary-abelia/). ## Growing conditions The listed hardiness range is USDA Zones 6–9. Grow in full sun for the strongest flowering and clearest flower color; part shade is tolerated, though the brand reports fewer flowers and muddier color in shade with less than four hours of sun. Average, well-drained soil is suitable. The plant patent also reports observed garden-performance tolerance of wind and temperatures from −15°C to 40°C; treat that as cultivar evidence, not a guarantee for every site or exposure. It tolerates dry spells and is drought tolerant after establishment, but severe drought can limit flower development, so it is not a no-water shrub. Leaf retention varies with climate: breeder information describes it as semi-evergreen, while the Canadian variety record calls it deciduous. Expect more persistent foliage in mild winters and greater leaf drop in colder conditions. ## Breeder, brand, and plant protection The cultivar name is ‘MINDUO1’. Canada’s [CFIA variety record](https://active.inspection.gc.ca/english/plaveg/pbrpov/cropreport/abe/app00008923e.shtml?wbdisable=true) identifies Olivier Nazeyrollas of Pépinières Minier (now Hortival Diffusion) as breeder and says it was selected for compact growth, large flower clusters, a long flowering period, flower color, and garden performance. Sunny Anniversary® is the Proven Winners ColorChoice trade name; its page now lists the variety as discontinued/reference-only. U.S. Plant Patent **PP24,445** was granted May 13, 2014; Canada’s plant-breeders’ rights certificate **5236** was surrendered in 2022. See the [U.S. patent record](https://patents.google.com/patent/USPP24445P2/en). ## Maintenance Low maintenance once established. Water consistently while new roots develop and during prolonged dry weather if continued flowering is important. Proven Winners says routine pruning is unnecessary; the RHS notes that occasional hard renovation may be useful every 3–4 years. If shaping or renovation is needed, work in late winter or early spring before new growth, as this abelia blooms on new wood. The brand says fertilizer is optional rather than essential.