There are many factors that can affect the exact shade of white. Amount of sunlight is one. My 3-yr old for example, has never turned white ever. But that is because it is planted in bright shade and needs more sun to turn "white". So, my colorations are green, green with some pink by the end of this month and brown. All things being normal, it would go from green to a shade of white (that I would call creamy white and definitely not Limeligth's stark white) and so forth.

Thank you Luis, for responding to my question so quickly. My limelight is planted on the east side of my house so it gets the morning sun and it holds it's white color for quite a while and I have attributed that to not getting a full sun - but I don't know. The little limes would be planted on a northwest exposure. All of the little limes in the garden centers, here in Michigan, are out in full sun and also seem to go from lime, to pink, to brown as you said yours did. I have had a feeling that is the nature of the little lime and it is not an exact duplicate of the big lime's flowering nature. It is still very lovely, maybe I'll just have to resign myself to the creamy color rather than the bright white I love. Again, thank you so much and have a great day!

In Iowa Little Lime goes from lime to white (though not quite as white as Limelight) and then pink. The pink is more a dusting on the edges of the petals than pink covering the whole petal so you don't notice it as much. We've had ours in the ground 4 years and each year they keep the pink coloration a little longer.

Thank you for posting your expertise Select Landscapes. I love the limelight in it's white stage and then as it takes on the pink edges. When we are into autumn, then I expect it to turn pink with age, but not before. Do you know of any hydrangea that I could keep at 4-4/12' without much trouble that would provide a similar white bloom as limelight. I wouldn't mind the soft pink as it ages, but I would like to enjoy the white color as long as possible. I saw a Fire Light today, but I'm not familiar with it and I think it turns pink rather quickly, but it was a lovely plant.

Look at H. paniculata White Diamonds. It is supposed to get about 4' tall and 5' wide and stay white for longer than many of the H. paniculatas (6 weeks or more.) It has somewhat looser panicles than Limelight I think. I have only seen photos of this - I have no real-life experience with it.

NHBabs, White Diamonds does look lovely. Thank you so much, I will research it as it may be just what I am looking for!

Bobo is another you might consider. I don't own one, but have heard and read good things about it, and it supposedly stays white until it turns pink.

Thank you, Ruth for your suggestion. It seems I have a few choices to make and then hopefully I can find them and the time to plant this fall yet.

There is at least one thread on Bobo on the perennials forum.

NHBabs, thank you for thinking of me. I will see if I can find Bobo and White Diamond. They both look like options. I would sure like to plant this fall, but finding them & securing enough plants at this date may be hard. I may have to wait til spring now. Thank you so much for all your help. Enjoy your weekend.

This is a photo of what I bought about 6 years ago advertised as a limelight. It’s in full sun and changes from white to this color every year

Pam, that looks like a Quickfire or a Little Quickfire, not a Limelight. Its blooms are more open and delicate than Limelight. Very pretty!

Thank you for the info….that’s what happens when you buy online sometimes