Hydrangea paniculata 'Bulk' Quick Fire tm
I spotted this Hydrangea starting to bloom in a nursery. It looked like our other H. paniculatas, Limelight and Grandiflora so I thought it would be a good addition to our garden. Even more so because the tag said the flowers, actually panicles, start out white, then pink and finally red in the fall. The photo on the tag shows it in the red stage and it looks to be a beauty.
For some reason we have trouble growing Hydrangea macrophylla. We get all leaves and very few corymbs (flower heads) so I just stick with the H. paniculata which flourish and puts out a great show of flowers. The shrub grows quite large but we cut it back hard in the early spring and it regrows nicely.
Here's a photo of the tag, showing the red fall color.
posted by Ki at
4:32 AM
10 Comments:
I know what you mean about H. macrophylla. It can be very frustrating. One thing I have learned is you can't prune it. I went over to someones house two years ago and their 'macs' were blooming beautifully so I asked "what do you to get them to bloom?" and their answer was "nothing". So I have had better luck not pruning the dead sticks off until very late and I have had much better flowers since then. I love 'Tardiva' for H. paniculata. It blooms heavy and very late. It does get quite large though.
Hi Chris,
Thanks for the tip about not pruning the 'macs'. I don't remember that I ever pruned them but maybe my wife did as she loves to 'trim' my Japanese maples. ):( I'll have to look for 'Tardiva'.
I have not had much luck with Hydrangeas here, although some people seem to grow them without any problem.
The blooms on your new Hydrangea are beautiful... I hope you take pictures of it as it turns colours!
Hi Kate,
I certainly will record the color changes. I just hope it turns as red as the picture on the tag which I hope was not enhanced by Photoshop. I see many H. macrophylla just several blocks away from us in an older neighborhood which were covered with flowers. For some reason ours just produced vegetation; even the one that the former owner planted several years before we moved in. I'll have to do some reading on Hydrangea culture.
I have exactly one macrophylla, and the no-pruning technique doesn't seem to make much difference. I think the cold-hardiness of the flower buds varies a lot by cultivar.
H. paniculata grandiflora, for me, has a different issue. I planted one with visions of the beautiful vase-shaped shrub that I often see near older houses. Mine, though, just sprawls. I wonder whether I need more patience, or I should try to shape it through pruning.
I'll be watching this space to see the color changes on your new paniculata.
Hi entangled,
I've babied many plants but they never seem to work out. So now if they don't flourish or bloom as they should, I just dig them out instead of wasting my time. After 3 years of non-blooming out went 4 H. macrophylla.
We have our H. paniculatas in almost full sun. We cut off any growth that sprawls. I think they sprawl because the plant sends out too many shoots and the ones that don't get enough light tend to be weak and droop to the ground. We also pruned it hard last fall to about 1 1/2 - 2 feet high. It grew back nicely this year and seems more vigorous after the pruning, fewer sprawling branches. I would prune it to shape leaving the more upright growth.
I'll take a picture of the tag and post it so we can see how accurate a representation the photo is.
Last summer I ran across a 'quick fire' on a clearance sale for under 10.00. It is just starting to bloom, pure white very nice flowers. I will be anxious to see the color changes in the flower.
Hi vonlafin,
You got it for a very good price. I hope you'll post photos of it as it changes through the season to compare it with the one we got. Iam curious to see if different soil conditions have an effect on the color of the panicles in fall.
Thanks for the comment.
Ki, if your wife hasn't made it near the hydrangea with those shears, I wonder if you still lose the flower bud/tips from dieback over the winter? If so, then maybe trying 'Blushing Bride' or 'Endless Summer,' one of the two that were bred to bloom on new wood, would help?
Don't get rid of that h. paniculata, though. I love those--I check on the one I have planted at the old house every so often. They're beautiful plants.
About a week ago, I photographed the same tag at a nursery here in New England! If this hydrangea goes on sale soon, I will buy it. I am trying to match the lovely hydrangea that grows in front of my school. Every fall I snatch a flower head or two to dry because the color is just so beautiful. I'll be watching this blog to see how yours reacts in the fall. I hope you get the color you desire!
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