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Blushing Bride--cold hardiness?

6 years ago

Hi Folks!

I was thinking of adding a small hedge of Endless Summer - Blushing Bride hydrangeas in my front yard. However, unlike their other plants these ones are only listed as cold hardy to around -20C as opposed to -30C. That makes it borderline for around here in a bad winter.

Does anyone have experience growing these in colder areas? The area will be quite exposed to winter winds, though likely buried under snow. I don't mind if it dies back to the ground each winter but obviously I want the plant to survive.

I already have a Bloomstruck in a similar exposed area and it did fine last winter, but that one is listed to -30C.

Thanks!

Featured Answer

October_Gardens

6 years ago

I've had several for 7-8 years and not much old-wood survival in zone 6B. Probably the most bloom-shy in the ES series.

White macrophylla hydrangeas are next to useless in any zone less than 7. Consider going with an arborescens like Annabelle and hack them talmost o the ground yearly so they maintain a similar height to Blushing Bride. Maintain a solid 1.5 meter spacing between plantings.

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Comments (9)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
6 years ago
According to the Endless Summer website, these - like all the ES varieties - are root hardy to zone 4.
P TW thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
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Boy half a zone difference make you guys so far ahead ~ just as George (ego45) reminded me! BB just flashed her virginal gown yesterday ~ 1 so far! QF opened tons on Pops' Day ~ so thrilled & tho both Orig ES did each a quick one, our gloomy/rainy/storm days interrupted the momentum ~ got everyone in a napsy mood & clusters are still just that! Today sun did show up ~ hopefully shake everyone up! Oh but Blue Frost Serrata even in his *dip 'n dot* stage is already giving hints on the trio of colors ~ blue, lavender, pinks & loaded! T&S1 ~ that came frost bitten, is the most advanced w/ all sorts of new canes & clusters - ready to flash soon ~ in the most ideal site, the hole I prep'd last Fall. I clipped all the blooms she came in to speed up these new ones! T&S2 & T&S3 are doing fine w/ new canes & new cluster finials tho nowhere close to T&S1's #s Luis - to answer our musings on extra sun exposure ~ definitely affects bloom colors IMO based on observations on these 3 T&S planted in 3 diff exposures ~ then again I'm also considering soil diff in their 3 sites! Sorry ~ for long chit-chat! Follow ups later. OK?!
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hyed
6 years ago
I have to agree , had two BB one gone bye bye after about 7yrs, still have the other in the 10yr I don' t think I got 30 blooms total... I have 6 ES and let Mother Nature call the shorts at 5'x5' just too big too Winter protect
P TW thanked hyed
guyground
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
You are right. I deleted my previous comment. I was thinking of tickled pink, not blushing bride.

Blushing bride, do not reliably bloom in zone 5. Even if they make it through the winter (which more often than not they do) they more often then not don't bloom well. Thus, unless you are ok with just a few blooms or you are willing to provide full winter protection I'd stay away.
P TW thanked guyground
P TW
Original Author
6 years ago
Thanks for the feedback on Blushing Bride. I must say that I am disappointed. I've had poor results with Annabelle so I will have to think of something else.

Interesting that the website says it is hardy to zone 4 but the tags on the plants say to zone 5 and specifically mention -20 whereas the other Endless Summer tags show -30.
hyed
6 years ago
How about Bobo at 3/4' or maybe Little lime at 4/5' maybe Little QF early white then pink ...just saying
P TW
Original Author
6 years ago
It's a part-sun area so I'm not sure a paniculata will thrive there.
hyed
6 years ago
How about this buy 2 Hys plant/ pot one at start of the hedge and the other at. the end and see how they perform....ok back to my PATS game
guyground
6 years ago
paniculatas do great in part sun!

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