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All Summer Beauty

18 years ago

Is ASB a re-blooming hydranea and does it bloom on old and/or new wood? I have read conflicting reports on this, so I want to ask peope who grow it.

Thanks in advance

Featured Answer

eks6426

18 years ago

I have 2 of these from Bluestone. They are in their 3rd summer. They most definitely bloom on new wood as mine die back to the ground every winter. I'm in zone 5b. So, far I am doing better with the All Summer Beauty than the Endless Summer...but time will tell. Mine aren't as big and vigorous as Annabelle (also from Bluestone)...they're probably 1/2 the size right now and they were all planted the same year.

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Comments (9)

Lauren_StL
18 years ago
I grow four of these. I actually e-mailed Bluestone, where I got them from to ask about this. They replied that they bloom on old wood. However, I know that mine have also bloomed on new wood (early season blooms) and I currently have blooms that are coming off of old blooms. My plants are two year old plants and have been doing wonderfully, but I agree with you that there is definitely conflicting info out there on them.

Good Luck,
Lauren
yellowgirl
18 years ago
According to Dirr, they bloom on old and new wood.....yg
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isabella__MA
Original Author
18 years ago
Great!! I'll be planting more of these, and maybe an endless summer. If it blooms on old and new wood, then it should be as easy to grow as an Annabelle.
Molineux
17 years ago
How big of a bush is ALL SUMMER BEAUTY compared to ENDLESS SUMMER?

Love Endless Summer but it doesn't look like it wants to get over the 3 foot mark. I'd like something bigger.

Lastly, are the flowers a deeper blue/pink? The sky blue color of ES is pretty but something deeper would be nice for contrast.
yellowgirl
17 years ago
ASB is not intensely pigmented and is known for being a lighter blue/pink. My ES are a very deep blue/violet. It's not just the plant alone, but rather a combination of the plant's natural pigmentation and the soil ph that make for the final color outcome. I was told by Wilkerson Mills nursery that the more heavily pigmented the plant (ie Enziandom) the less likely it is to repeat-bloom. ASB is also not one of the larger hydrangeas at about 3.5 x 3.5 (ish).....yg
isabella__MA
Original Author
17 years ago
Hi All,
My ASB had a light blue coloration... almost a white with a slight blue tinting. My ASB are still young and not at mature size.

I have seen recent web-entries that cite ASB as blooming on new wood... I will be looking to see if the old wood is alive and yields flowers. At any rate I am very happy with this hydrangea.
tam88
17 years ago
This is interesting. I have a ASB that has been planted for about 4-5 years and has never bloomed! For those of you that have gotten blooms are you doing winter protection? Just curious.
isabella__MA
Original Author
17 years ago
No special winter protection...

just the usual weed control mulch around the plant. I leave the old wood in place. Mine is planted near the house, so some wind protection is afforded.

My zone 5 may be more of a -6 or 5+. I was an adopted Cornhusker before moving to southeast MA, and I can tell you my winters are not as brutual here.

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