Abelias are sun shrubs. They are also brittle, clearing large leaves and twigs out of them might become a bother. Maybe the falling nuts could even be a problem.

Deer like 'Edward Goucher' in Island County, WA.

So A. grandiflora is brittle? A. mosanensis certainly isn't--I've grown that for many years, it's not brittle and the deer don't touch it. The spot I want to put the A. grandiflora cultivar is full sun, though it is near enough to a black walnut to be bothered by the juglone--that was my concern.

Not very similar except for being in the same genus. And actually I've seen one reference to the fully deciduous abelias of that type having been moved into their own genus Zabelia.

This post was edited by bboy on Sat, Jan 18, 14 at 16:08

Lacey,
Looks like a nice shrub. I looked it up, I wonder if it is fragrant.
I have a little abelia in front of my walkway up to the house and it is doing fine. It stays evergreen, probably because it is a tad bit warmer here. I trim it and it looks real good.
I want something bigger, and I think I will keep my eye out this spring for this shrub.
Looks like a great privacy shrub once it gets growing.
As far as the walnut tree, I say give it a try, and if it doesn't like it, you can always move it.
My little abelia is a Kalidoscope.

If you're talking about A. x grandiflora the flowers are slightly fragrant.