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Is Endless Summer the only mophead that blooms on new wood?

17 years ago

I need something that gets bigger than Endless Summer, but I'm almost afraid to get something that doesn't bloom on new wood. I bought a variegated lacecap two years ago and it bloomed that first season, but it died down over the winter and didn't bloom last year. I already have Annabelle, so I would like something different. Since I'm Texas, I didn't think winter dieback would be a problem in my area, but I guess it is. Are there some varieties that are less likely to die back?

Laurie

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Comments (4)

luis_pr
17 years ago
Hello, msrose. I believe Penny Mac and Blushing Bride also bloom on new wood.

By the way, winter dieback is usually not been a problem for me in Dallas; remembering to provide moisture during winter is. The problem is caused by fluctuating winter temperatures. Because they are all over the map, plant dormancy here is like sleeping with someone who snores... you keep waking up all the time. :o) As a result, do not assume that the plants are dormant. During winter, reduce -but do not stop- watering.

Luis
georgia-rose
17 years ago
Here are a few more H. macrophylla cultivars that are said to bloom on new wood (remontant):
Forever & Ever
Sadie Ray
David Ramsey
Decatur Blue
Oak Hill
Pink Shira (PPAF) New, may not be available yet.

Luis has good advice regarding ample moisture during the winter. If they are planted in sandy or other sharply drained soil, it is important to monitor the soil mosture frequently during the winter, until the root system is well established. If you have no rainfall for 2 consecutive weeks and none is forecasted soon, it would be adviseable to water them. Even though they may have no foliage, they have active flower buds that were formed in late summer/early fall, that requires moisture.
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Comments (3)
Hi, grspirit. Yes, you are correct. Wild fluctuations in temperatures can confuse a plant that is trying to decide whether to go into growth mode or back into dormancy. Micro-climates in your plant's location can also affect the amount of growth in some years as well. In addition, you are in the top of Endless Summer's USDA Zone limit so I would not be surprised if abnormally cold winters (translation: a zone 3 type of cold front) in some future time would also delay your plant's growth. By the way, I assume that you have already removed all winter protection measures that you applied to this hydrangea, yes? Just checking.... And just comparing now: I have one hydrangea whose stems died to the ground (well, most of the stems did) this winter and the new stems are about 1.5 ft high. Since you are in zone 4 and I am in zone 8, I would expect your plant stems to be much tinier than mine. The usual hydrangea requirements will eventually trigger growth mode soon: 2-4 hours of sun light, good drainage, acidic or well composted soil, fertilizing in June and frequent watering in order to keep the soil contantly moist (or as close to constant as one really can). Good luck grspirit, Luis
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Comments (10)
'Dooley' is not a remontant type and 'Penny Mac', supposedly a remontant type, has never bloomed on new wood for me. ES, however, has been true to it's hype and after 3 years of becoming established, is now blooming on new wood. Mine was beginning to bloom, when the Easter weekend deep freeze came along and killed all of the flowers and foliage on the top 2 ft. of the plant. Curiously, the bottom half of the plant was totally unaffected. New blooms began to emerge soon after the freeze and new foliage appeared later. It is still producing new buds and flowers, although they aren't as large as the first flush of blooms. You may yet see some flowers on yours, as they continue to bloom until first heavy frost. You didn't indicate whether you had applied fertilizer this season. Application of a high nitrogen(N) type of fertilizer promotes lush foliage growth, at the expense of blooms and they will often not bloom at all. If you use a chemical type of fertilizer, a timed-release, balanced type is best (such as 14-14-14, 3 month type), applied once each year, in June. Hope for the best! Rb
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Comments (4)
when did you cut off the spent blooms...i cut off my spent blooms in mid-July (most are fairly papery at the time already), down to the healthy set of buds...feed the plant with a half reco dose of superbloom in Aug, and I have a pretty good second round of flower buds..and they are beginning to bloom now...I am in zone 6b, the plants get a bit of morning sun, no afternoon sun, well watered at all times..maybe the weather in z5 is a bit less friendly for a rebloom season this yr...in my experience, a second feeding of a high phosphate fertilizer is a necessity for ES...ES is a gross feeder, phosphates will do it good.
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Comments (32)
I'm up in Bailey's neightborhood and have used Endless Summer in my own garden and several clients gardens. I lost a few the first year they came out but since they've all done well and bloomed subsequent years. It seems I only get one good flush in mid summer, I think the early crop is killed off over winter and then there isn't enough time to ripen a fall flush. None get chemical fertilizer but all are in shady woodsy gardens with fertile soil. I can't really think what would be different about the upper midwest. More heat then the east coast? Cooler evenings? Blushing Bride is supposed a better reblooming - time will tell. BTW my understanding is the original Endless Summer was purchased a forced plant for a Mother's Day gift and planted in a garden where it bloomed happily for years until it came to the attention of someone who worked at Bailey's Ted
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msrose
Original Author
17 years ago
Thank you both! I did a search for the ones y'all mentioned and it sounds like most of them about the size of Endless Summer and I'm needing something bigger, more like 5'-6'. I'm going to start a new post asking for that specific size. I'd love to hear any recommendations you have for bigger ones since your both in my zone.

Laurie
jackz411
17 years ago
How old and how large are your ES? I would not think your ES is more than a few ( couple ) years old so you don't yet have a mature plant producing mature sized flowers. Give it a little time. I would expect a mature ES to produce flowers similiar in size to a mature Nikko. I could be wrong but to me a mature plant would be at least 7-8 years in the ground. 3 or 4 years is still a juvenile.

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