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Suggestions for small zone 6 hydrangea

15 years ago

Hello, I am looking for a hydrangea with specific qualities.

Here are my thoughts/constraints basically in priority order - I know I can't meet them all at the same time:

-Small size is very important. I have about 7 feet between a kousa dogwood and a stone wall. I want to plant the Hydrangea closer to the wall than the tree but I obviously can't have something too wide, 3-4 feet at the most.

-Needs to bloom in zone 6.

-I would like some color, blue would be my first choice but I am flexible as long as it isn't white.

-Nice to have would be to get one that blooms on new wood as well as old for longer bloom period.

-All other things being equal I have a slight preference for the lace caps

After reading some previous posts I am thinking Blue Billow is as close as I will get but I have a concern about the width and I see it doesn't bloom on new wood. Purple Tiers looks about the same except the color.

Any feedback or other suggestions would be appreciated.

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Comments (6)

mikeyh508
15 years ago
Best bet for blue is Endless Summer... Its a mophead that gets about 3-5' X 3-5' hardy to zone 4 and blooms off of both new and old wood. A smaller one also comes to mind called 'Pia'. Pia is a pink that stays under 3' and hardy to zone 5.
Just my 2 cents... Good Luck.
gfult
Original Author
15 years ago
Thank you for the reply.
3-5 is a big range in this space. Can I just keep it pruned to size?
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Hello, kaine23. Yes, ES is supposed to do well in cold zones such as yours. But you may notice some posts in here about blooming problems from people who have ES. Due to these bloom reliability issues, their website is now recommending some form of winter protection during the first few years, until the plant is well established. I am not sure what is up with that but I recommend that you follow the suggestions in their website (see the link below). Note too that the problem is reliable bloomage. Many people have ES with zero/zip/nada problems. Many of those people do not post here about that because there is no need to do that but an odd, i.e. high, number of people are posting questions about bloomage problems with ES. So, please consider this a f.y.i., not a 'do not buy' warning message. Other mopheads that you could choose for Z6 are the Cityline Series, All Summer Beauty, Preziosa, Forever Series, etc. Other hydrangea varieties that would do well in Z6 are the arborescens, asperas, quercifolias (oakleafs) and serratas. Here is a link that might be useful: ES Website
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Plants that bloom on new wood are not the norm. You will be limited to mostly non-lace caps: the Endless Summer Series, Forever & Ever Series, All Summer Beauty Series, David Ramsey, Penny Mac, Oak Hill, etc. In certain geographical areas where the growing season is long and the weather right, some lacecaps may bloom in the fall again (a little, not like in spring). I have seen postings that suggest that Blue Deckle, for example, has bloomed again in the fall. This is a nice serrata lace cap. You do not indicate where do you live but hydrangeas require part shade sunlight conditions -protection from the sun during hot summer days- in the South although, persons living in the northern states can grow the plants in full sun. The soil must drain well and be kept moist, not wet. Blue color on the blooms is influenced by the soil acidity and the presence of aluminum, a naturally occuring mineral in the soil. Plantings near a wall might be affected by cement leaching lime, which makes the soil alkaline and which makes the blooms some shade of pink. Adding aluminum sulfate can help get blue blooms in alkaline soils; just keep it away from shrubs like rhodies and azaleas who completely dislike the chemical and will die if subjected to high concentrations.
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Marie Tulin
15 years ago
Hi,
An opinion, not a plant suggestion. Why buy a plant you'll have to commit to pruning for all the years you'll have it? And it hard to imagine pruning any hydrangea and have it look 'natural." That said, would hydrangea "blue muffin" work? Wait till some of the hydrangea experts weigh in, and you'll have some better suggestions.
mikeyh508
15 years ago
Pruning Hydrangeas is best done in the spring before or as they start to bud out. Typically you only prune off the dead wood from the previous winter. However with most Hydrangea macrophylla you can practically cut them to the ground and they will rejuvenate themselves as is nothing happened (aside from the lack of flowers that year on certain variety's). Endless summer and other similar cultivars that bloom off of old and new wood ensure that even the heaviest pruning job in the spring will NOT effect flower production come mid summer.
cloudy_christine
15 years ago
Blue Billow would fit your space and not need pruning. It's a wonderful shrub, true blue in acid soil, and trouble-free.
It doesn't bloom over a very long period, though. But the foliage makes it attractive when not in flower.
birdnesthead
15 years ago
Have you considered the new "Cityline" hydrangeas? They come in three varieties, Paris, Berlin, and Venice. I have 3 small Potentilla shrubs that look dead. I think the area has evolved beyond what they can tolerate as far as shade, so maybe I will replace them with the Cityline hydrangeas...just waiting for a sale somewhere, as they are a bit pricey. Anyone have any experience with these?

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