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small(ish) lacecap hydrnagea

15 years ago

Hi - Are there varieties of lacecap hydrangea's that are smaller than others? I am looking for something lower than 4 ft if possible - thanks!

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Comments (8)

ctlady_gw
15 years ago
I think the descriptions say 4 feet (max), but my Blue Billow is considerably lower -- maybe 2 feet. It's only been in two years, so it undoubtedly has some growing to do, but I know it's supposed to top out at 4 feet and I imagine you could keep it lower with judicious pruning. It's a GORGEOUS lacecap!
amanda_h
Original Author
15 years ago
I am new to the hydrangea world, so thanks to anyone for replying to what is likely a basic question...given that the color of the blooms is a response to soil content (except for the whites) will the flowers of all plants growing in the same general area, even among different varieties, end up the same color - and by extension then - are Blue Billows always blue?
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Lisa...here's great info on Hydrangeas. They really won't make it in this location. If you don't want to use them in the rear, I'd return them and get some boxwoods. Your exposure here is the toughest one in a yard but we all have it. This is where I have my Hostas...no sun until 3ish and then it's intense...it's a "burning sun" not a growing sun as it is between 8am and 2pm. In addition you have the heat being reflected off the foundation....that's not going to make Hydrangeas happy....they even tend to wilt even when well watered if in too strong a sun in the afternoon. You can have great color here in the spring with early blooming sun perennials if there's sun before the trees leaf out. Arabis, Basket of Gold, Aubretia all form their blossoms or go into bloom before trees leaf out. There are others too. Here's the link. Here is a link that might be useful: hydrangeas
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You normally do not need to prune hydrangeas, valtorrez, especially if your plants are that small. Instead of worrying about pruning, check some of the other things that could be causing few blooms (other than the plant size itself). Add about 1 cup of cottonseed meal in June and sprinkle coffee grounds or weak fertilizers like liquid seaweed during the growing season. Make sure that the plants get some sun. Generally speaking, the more sun a plant gets, the better flower production is. And maintain the soil constantly moist as best as you can. If a finger inserted to a depth of 4" feels almost dry or dry then water. About 1 gallon of water per week, applied to the soil, should be enough in Spring. Increase the frequency or the amount as summer approaches or as the plant gets bigger. And reduce the amount of water in the Fall. When the soil is frozen in Winter, do not water. But water somewhat during warm dry winters. About 3-4" of mulch should help keep the soil moist longer. A soil test done once every 5 years (or so) is a good idea to make sure that your soil does not need extra doses of some minerals or soil pH amendments. Cheap kits are sold to give you an idea of how acidic or alkaline your soil is. Hydrangeas prefer acidic soil and will tolerate some alkalinity. Nearby local nurseries and neighbors might be able to tell you if your soil is acidic or alkaline. Height is a genetic trait and varies depending on the variety of hydrangea that you have. Pictures of the blooms, leaves and stems are the usual ways of telling what hydrangea variety you have but, even then, some varieties are so similar that, it may not be possible to identify with 100% accuracy. Please post any pictures that you have to see if anyone can help. Colored (blue/pink) blooms suggest that you probably have hydrangea macrophyllas, which come in two flavors: mopheads and lacecaps. Their flower buds develop starting in July-ish. Some macrophyllas develop blooms only once a year, around July, while others -like Endless Summer- develop blooms around July and again in Spring (or Spring & Summer). When you do not know what variety of hydrangea macrophylla you have, you must prune carefully. If you prune NOW a mophead that blooms only once, you would be pruning away the Spring 2010 blooms. And you would not have blooms again until Spring 2011. So until you can identify the variety, if you have to prune, prune sometime after blooming but before the start of July. In the case of a hydrangea like Endless Summer, pruning them now in March results in no early Spring blooms; but new ones will develop quickly so there is no risk of zero blooms during the complete growing season. Deadheading will encourage the plant to bloom again. Last year's dried out blooms may start to disintegrate between now and May. The strings that hold them may now be brittle enough where they break just by applying a little pressure. If not, deadhead them or wait a month & try again...... I usually just let them fall to the ground on their own. When you have time, go to the link below to read all about pruning all types of hydrangeas, fertilizing, etc. Luis Here is a link that might be useful: Pruning Information
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I would suggest one of the sun tolerant and very winter hardy ones... either an Annabelle-like Hydrangea (also known as hydrangea arborescens) or a Pee Gee-like hydrangea (aka as hydrangea paniculatas). Winter hardy to Zone 3-4. Some of the newer arborescens include shrubs that will produce lime or pink colored blooms from the start; the rest of the arborescens start either white or lime green; turn from lime to white; turn white to pink-ish, greenish mix; turn brown or sand-ish. Have him/her select based on an arborescens that does not start pink and whose height/width is acceptable. Some of the new paniculatas are more compact. The older varieties tended to get large. Limelight if one of the few paniculatas that will produce lime colored blooms from the start; then they turn white then pink/etc. Little Lime is similar but more compact. The others start white then turn pink/etc so choose amontgst those based on height/width. The blooms tend to vary some... maybe a little at times... so bloom form/size, plus height/width would be the parameters I would use to select from them. You can look up online nurseries or local plant nurseries. Inventories of these should start getting larger soon. Both arborescens and paniculatas are very sun tolerant in your area. Water and mulch well. Note: you included a picture but no details of exactly where the shrubs were going to go other than "in full sun"; how big are nearby shrubs, etc. Note: hydrangeas are deciduous so be aware of this if he/she prefers evergreens in the front of the house.
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cynthianovak
15 years ago
have you looked at Lady in Red? I like the foliage.

Endless Summer isn't a lacecap but it's still blooming for me and the foliage is pretty too.
ditas
15 years ago
Hi Amanda - It may be worthwhile for you to check out 'Royal Majestics Collection' at www.GardenersConfidence.com' a Michael Dirr intro in '07!

I got 'Midnight Duchess' last Spring '07 ... didn't flower for me that 1st season but the dark green foliage w/dark red petioles & purple-black, sturdy, limbs were worth a wolf whistle! This season, never a day passes that I don't marvel at her majestic elegance, befitting her 'Midnight Duchess' name! Â;)

I truly tip my hat off to Dr. M Dirr ... he'll perhaps hate me for referring to this, grand lady of my (8) H serratas, as Sofia Loren! Her blossoms are absolutely gorgeous, some pearly-hint of blue/vibrant blue fertile centers at maturity & some, hint of pearly pink that likewise, mature to mix of deeper lavender & persian pink. Some infertile florets peek through the center cluster of fertile beads. Absolutely stunning to me!

I counted 12 flwr cluster buds when she started out, now she has produced a couple more. I have been photographing her, practically, daily & will share, after all the wonders that she opens for me to behold!

Her majesty will max at 4'x4' and is prune-able to the hgt spec you wish for. Most of the blooms were produced on tips of axillary limbs from old wood, others came from center canes, that must have grown from old wds, barely under the surface (so, needs winter care). The storms that Ma Nature doled us this season (& still) never phased her, so far (with fingers crossed) ... a grand tough, lady she is, indeed!!! Â;)

Sorry for this copious testimonial-response to your simple ?? ... 'am just so is awe!
greenguy1
15 years ago
"Bluebird" is an old variety, for me tops out at about 3 1/2 feet, the flowers are smaller and more delicate than some of the newer cultivars, and might have fewer sterile (large) florets than most people want, but I love it.

As to your color question, all of the non-white H. macrophylla and H. serrata (closely related, H. serrata used to be considered a subspecies of H. macrophylla) cultivars will respond color-wise to soil pH/aluminum, but they will respond differently.

You say you are a newbie, forgive me if this brief explanation is too basic: color depends on the amount of free aluminum available to the plant in the soil. More aluminum results in blue, less results in pink. The amount of aluminum is in large part dependent on the soil pH - the more acidic, the more free aluminum ions are available. So, if you acidify your soil, you will be promoting blue color; if you add aluminum sulfate, you both acidify and augment the aluminum, and it's kind of a "double-whammy" for getting blue. All that said, the different cultivars have different senstivity to the aluminum - some will tend more toward pink or blue in certain acidity conditions than will others. And, all of the flowers on the same plant will not respond exactly the same, which is why you so often see a plant with flowers of blue, pink, and every shade of lavender in between, all at the same time. Usually, if the cultivar has a color in its name, such as "Blue Billow," it will tend toward that color over a wider pH range, but you can still change it.

- Steve
ditas
15 years ago
Hi Steve - I got 'Blue Frost' ... excited to see the buds flash blue ... they were pink, as the blossoms matured & the fertile centers fuzzed up, at best they were lavender. I called the nursery - suggested I applied A S ... I didn't plan on having to amend, as per name 'Blue Frost'! I should just wait for Blue Billow to show up here, hopefully, sooner than later! I decided to keep him anyway, as I have tons of blues & purples (non-Hs, however).
paul3636
15 years ago
I just posted the same question before I saw this thread. Blue wave and Blue bird both grew to big (5'x6') and I have seen pictures of billow blue that look like they are large plants.
They where planted in a 12' x 3' x 8"deep concrete planter.
What mail order nursery has information on Blue frost.
Paul
ditas
15 years ago
Hi Paul - I got my BF H serrata, Korean Dwarf (will max at 4'x4') from one of our local nurseries - a Hines Horticulture intro. The tag says to visit "www.hineshort.com" for more info. I did & found no more than what was given on the tag. My nursery guy will inquire a little more about this cultivar for me.

I am impressed with the larger/older foliage - dark green that turns to a hint of wine. I'm not sure if this is a feature, the tag didn't say - I'm curious if, like Big Smile, will give great foliage colors in the Fall.

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