Glossy abelia (Abelia grandiflora) is a medium-sized shrub with arching twigs covered in dainty, glossy opposite leaves that are sharply pointed. The new leaves are yellow-green and become dark green with age. This cultivar is more compact than the species. An Asian member of the honeysuckle family, this Abelia produces terminal sprays of small, tubular, white to pale pink flowers on new growth. Blooms can continue from May until November. As the petals fall, the tiny coral-pink calyxes continue to provide color. The foliage slowly becomes burgundy in late fall and persists well into winter; in warmer climates, it is evergreen.