How large do paniculatas grow in colder zones? (z5b - Toronto)

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

I see many Paniculatas that I'd consider growing but I am always alarmed by the listed mature sizes because of my modestly-sized urban yard,

I do have a few but the oldest ones have only been in the ground 4 full years now in areas fairly exposed to winter and getting full sun (about 8 hours/day), and so I don't know if they are anything close to their mature size.

For example: Vanilla Strawberry listed as growing to 6-7 ft tall, 4-5 ft wide. Well, for me after 4 years it is 3.5 ft tall and almost 5 feet wide because of the flopping, so it grows more horizontally.

A Pinky Winky was planted right next to it at the same time. It is listed as growing 6-8 ft tall and wide. After 4 years it is 3.5 ft tall and 4 ft wide. So more upright, but still nothing close to the listed mature size.

I have a 4-year-old Quickfire in part sun (3-4 hrs/day) that is only 3 ft tall and wide. Again it was listed as growing to 6-8 ft tall and wide.

Should I expect these to keep getting bigger and bigger in years 5+? How large do you expect?

I have a spot near the VS where I would love to plant a paniculata that would grow to about 4-5ft tall and wide, but not knowing the actual mature sizes of these plants in my area I am hesitating.

Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (4)

luis_pr
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I have heard of people who have QF in the northeast and it is a about as tall as me so 6' by 6' (not sure how old that shrub was though). PW seems to be bigger when I have seen pics so assume it can get to 8' (it may get wider than it is tall, so assume >> 8'). With a shorter growing season, similar shrubs in your area may be smaller and not as wide in 10 years but may be in 15 (just a guess) they may be. Also, consider that those numbers in the plant labels are "guestimates" ;o)) to begin with, probably around 10 years of maturity, not just 4 so get the smaller versions for those spaces.

If you are given a size range in a plant label, assume the larger number applies to places with a longer growing season (ex.: usually the southern states) and the smaller number applies to places with a smaller growing season (usually cold northern locations).

Finally, hydrangeas never stop growing so, yes, you can assume that they will keep getting bigger. However, in cold regions, dieback will occur sometimes and help keep large sizes in check. But paniculatas are also known for being vigorous growers... after being pruned, forexample, they recover almost all their previous height in a single growing season.

Lastly, paniculatas like VS which have not been for sale "long enough" do not yet have a track record so it is difficult to see if the estimates in the plant labels will turn out to be way off or not.
hyed
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Hi PTW, all my pancis are 9/10ft after 8/10'yrs, in the sun 6 to 8 hrs ....you might consider the smaller versions topping out at 5/6 ft....had to move a couple of little LL, not enough sun few blooms,now th're loaded
Related Discussions
Late summer bloomers in z 5b
Q
Comments (17)
Tiffy why did you say Ugh about the Japanese Tree Peony I just love them They take some time to become splendid. Patience. Love the listing of things in bloom just now Liked the comment keep dirt under your fingernails. I know it is not much to be admired among most of my women friends, but I myself, don't mind it at all. Mostly not at all. I have several Hydrangea looking so good and roses with quite a lot of bloom Tropicals as well that sure do catch your eye, such as Brugmansia, Datura and Canna Lilies. Some Chrysanthemums are just opening. Lots of sedums make for a great show. Yes that Russian sage looks good now I am just working on a new large front garden bed. eight feet by sixty It will be sunny all day and I am not planing to water it much So good to have the name of some of these plants listed.
...See More
How do i keep my endless summer growing taller?
Q
Comments (10)
Well, meyermike_1micha, I suppose you could move to Texas or Zone 8 cities but that sounds -er- hard and problematic. What is happenning to you is "normal" for ES in cold locations (Zone 5). The cold temperatures and the drying winds are too much to protect from so the stems from the prior years dry out. What made the variety such a sales success was its marketing in cold locations and the shrub's ability to flower from new wood. So every year, the plants starts growing from the crown and there is no (or there is minimal) leaf out from the old stems. In order to maintain the old stems alive through the winter, you will need to apply winter protection techniques in the Fall. The colder your weather is, the more protection you need to apply. Usually this involves using chicken wire in the Fall to surround the shrub and then filling the inside area with tons of dead leaves. The assumption here is that you can obtain sufficient leaves from your garden and/or neighbors. Winter protection techniques are then removed about 2 weeks (+ or -) after your avge date of last frost in Spring. Unused leaves are kept in a safe place/bag to add more during winter as winds and snow tend to make the leaves settle inside the chicken wire. Another approach uses a cardboard to flatten the shrub all the way to the ground; you then cover it with leaves and remove it when Spring arrives. See hayseedman's post on the link below for more information. Does this help you, meyermike_1micha? Luis Here is a link that might be useful: overwintering Hydrangea macrophylla winter protection
...See More
How late is too late in zone 5?
Q
Comments (39)
Summersrhythm, Houses built before refrigeration/electricity often had an unheated room off the basement in which perishable food items were stored to keep them cold and hydrated since these cellars were humid as well as cold. Iceboxes were kept in the kitchen for perishables like fresh meat, eggs and milk to keep at hand for ready availability. Root/fruit cellars were used for storage of perishables that had a longer shelf life but needed cold, but not as cold as an icebox. Foods were stored in them such as: apples, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, winter squash, cheese, cured meats, and bad little boys...just kidding! Put a couple bushels of local, fresh picked McIntosh or Cortland apples in a root cellar at harvest time. Leave then there until they have turned fully ripe when they actually have a glow and feel like they have been rubbed with olive oil. This could be as late as December/January. They're slippery! Now, make applesauce from them, no sugar needed, just a little nutmeg and/or cinnamon. Freeze or can the sauce. You NEVER tasted a better, super healthy, more delicious applesauce in your life!
...See More
Best roses for 5 to 5 1/2 hours of sun z5b Massachusetts
Q
Comments (10)
Kate- Olivia is on my to buy list for next spring. She will be getting a primo spot in the garden. Austins seem to do pretty good here. My Windermere is almost always in bloom and Queen of Sweden has nice repeat. Munstead was in about 4 1/2 hours of sun and always flowering but got bs and was not winter hardy. I tossed her this year since she only had one scrawny cane left. But her flowers were to die for and the scent was one of the best. Maybe own root would work better. DA Thomas A Becket is listed as shade tolerant and disease resistant but I've read mixed reviews on it. I wish I had more sun but our acre property is literally carved out of the woods with about 1/4 acre cleared for the house and yard and the trees are up on a hill so they shade even worse. Plus there are more across the road. I know I could get more blooms with better growing conditions but it's just not doable money wise so I have to make what I have work the best way I can and settle for the blooms I manage to get. Zack- I would love to be able to remove some trees but they are probably 75 years old or more. The trunks are about a foot across and they're probably 50 feet tall. The white oaks are even taller. It would be very expensive to have them removed. We looked at installing solar since our house faces south perfectly but it would have cost close to $10K to have all the necessary trees removed so barring an inheritance I'm stuck with the limited sun I have ;-). Sharon
...See More
NHBabs z4b-5a NH
6 years ago
I'd go for smaller cultivars if you want smaller plants. My two oldest paniculatas are Pinky Winky and Quickfire, and both are by now (8-9 years old and unpruned) around 8' tall, with PW getting perhaps 12' wide. QF is narrower, perhaps 6' or 7' wide, but whether that is because it is in a more confined space, I am not sure. I am colder than you are, and my plants are in moist, well-drained, acid soil in all day sun.
guyground
6 years ago
What I've found is that the size of the paniculatas can vary a lot based on soil condition / sun.

It sounds like where you are, for whatever reason they are staying a bit on the smaller side.

They do continue to grow but after a certain point growth rate drops dramatically.

How large do paniculatas grow in colder zones? (z5b - Toronto)

Comments (4)

luis_pr

hyed

Related Discussions

NHBabs z4b-5a NH

guyground

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US