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Hydrangea for Zone 6B that stays pink

10 years ago

Hi,
I need some expert help. I went to my favorite garden center and the help told me to get Cityline Vienna or Paris. But I believe I read online that the color changes with the type of soil it's in. I don't want to bother messing with amending the soil. Is there a hydrangea which is always pink?

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Comments (8)

NHBabs z4b-5a NH
10 years ago
What is your soil pH, acid or alkaline? The acid soil tends to turn H. macrophylla cultivars blue and more alkaline is pink. So if you have alkaline soil, you should be fine.

Alternatively, Hydrangea paniculatas start blooming white or light green, but then turn pink. There are big ones like I grow, but there are also some smaller ones like 'Little Quick Fire' or 'Little Lamb.' Here is my H. paniculata 'Quick Fire' in early July, shortly after it started blooming.
{{gwi:248944}}From clematis on hydrangea July 9, 2013

In early August it turns pink and stays that way until hard freeze. Here it is in late September.
chardie
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for your reply. My soil is acidic, hence my ES's go blue. That Quick Fire is a gorgeous hydrangea. I think it's similar to my Pinky Winky. I'd prefer a mophead, but not Invincibelle Spirit, which turns kind of faded pink into nylon stocking beige. Not attractive, in my opinion.
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luis_pr
10 years ago
Bella Anna is another pink cousin of Annabelle but it is not always pink either; I suggest you visually see it to determine if you like the shade of pink.
mzdee
10 years ago
Not sure what you're looking for. But I have a Strawberries and Cream that is pink. It overwintered beautifully and bloomed for a very long time last summer.
October_Gardens
10 years ago
Let's Dance Moonlight / Big Easy, Merritt's Supreme, Firelight, Perfection/Expression, Doublicious(?), Color Fantasy, Preziosa, Trophee, Charme.

Not positive on all those staying pink, but those are some ideas.

This post was edited by Springwood_Gardens on Sat, May 3, 14 at 17:04
luis_pr
10 years ago
Some of those may require amending the soil with lime to prevent turning blue or may resist turning blue and turn purple instead so, also consider growing in containers if you really do not want to mess with soil pH amendments. Use potting soil that is not acidic, of course, and use rain water as much as possible.
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
10 years ago
'Glowing Embers' ('Alpengluhen'), 'Pia', 'Masja', 'Ami Pasquier', 'Brunette' and 'Bottstein' are all pink flowering hydrangeas that are not really influenced by soil pH. Unless the soil is excessively acidic and then you may get a darker purple color.

These will not necessarily all be bud hardy for 6B so you may need winter protection.
chardie
Original Author
10 years ago
Thanks for the suggestions! I'm thinking maybe Strawberry Sundae since I measured the space and it an fit a five-footer. I love the white, then pink, color of my Vanilla Strawberry, so I'm thinking this would be a junior version of that one.

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