skip to main content

Can this variety be IDed? (They all look the same!)

3 years ago

(Zone 10a)

I tried to identify a mophead (I think) from internet images. They all look pretty much the same to me. Can they be IDed at all or do they really all mostly look the same?

This came with my house and has been pretty much abandoned for at least 10 years. It was put on the new irrigation system last year. I suppose it should be tidied up and pruned but it seems happy. Ideas on variety or care? Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
3 years ago
"Can they be IDed at all or do they really all mostly look the same?"

Yes and no :-)) Since coloring is largely dependent on soil chemistry, unless a cultivar offers some rather distinctive features they are very difficult to ID accurately. Except for the white macs, looking "mostly the same" is pretty much SOP.
Fori thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
luis_pr
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
It looks great. Continue doing what you are doing. Keep the same watering regime and fertilizer program. Ask the previous owner if you just moved into the house. Add some mulch to reduce soil moisture loss and protect the roots from temperature extremes. Except for differences in stem colors and unique looking blooms, mopheads look alike too much.

But regarding pruning, don't until you have a good reason to. It is a hydrangea macrophylla so it will develop invisible flower buds at the ends of the stems "soon", if it has not done so already. You can deadhead the blooms when they are spent and brown or you can leave them. If you want to deadhead them, cut the peduncle string that connects the blooms to the stems so you do not have to cut the stems.The best time to prune -if there is a good reason- is after they bloom.
Fori thanked luis_pr
Related Discussions
Pepper Seeds all look the same. :( :( :(
Q
Comments (15)
Hehe. Now I normally grow a jalapeno pepper in a pot off my apartment balcony along with cherry tomatoes. Skipped the garden last year due to other issues so this year is my first time in a real garden. Haven't decided if I'm going to do traditional, or square foot, or a hybrid with a bit of lasagna gardening mixed in. Anywho, it's a hot pepper mix. Listed as Anaheim TMR 23, Ancho, Long Slim Red Cayenne, Jalapeno M, and Hungarian Wax. There's more than a hundred seeds here, so if I get good germination and they don't damp off, I expect about ninety plants. Definitely don't want that many. The watering alone turns me off to it. I think I'll separate the yellower seeds from the tanner seeds so I'll have two sets of plants. Then hopefully I'll be able to tell them apart before they get too unmanageable. I don't know. Yikes.
...See More
Rose hedge: Use a Variety or all the same?
Q
Comments (22)
In what general part of the country do you live? For example, Buck roses do better in the midwest than in the northeast. Here is what midwestgardetips says about Easy Elegance roses: "The Easy Elegance Series of roses are as easy to care for as flowering shrubs. Follow standard planting practices for shrub roses and feed once a year in very early spring with a slow release fertilizer. There is no need for a chemical regimen to control pests and disease. The collection was bred by Bailey Nurseries and is a perfect northern rose with blooms that rival grafted tea roses." http://www.midwestgardentips.com/hardy_roses_for_midwest_garden.html My rugosas get blackspot, especially Hansa. You can't spray them because they drop their leaves. Cane borers can wipe out most of the canes, and pulling out suckers is work. Rose de Rescht is another possibility. It is probably the best repeating of the Old Garden Roses and is very hardy. Country Dancer is another Buck rose to consider.
...See More
Knockout: do different color varieties all bloom & grow the same
Q
Comments (4)
Based on the Roses in Review reports from hundreds of growers around the country, it appears Double Knock Out does not get as large as the original Knock Out and is not quite as vigorous, but still is a nice rose. Rainbow Knock Out is clearly less vigorous than the original, not getting as big and not blooming nearly as much. Pink Knock Out is just about as vigorous as the original and might be a nice complement to it. Another rose to consider is Home Run. Lots of bright red blooms with yellow stamens on a disease-resistant plant. The blooms don't last as long as those of Knock Out, but it almost always has some blooms.
...See More
all this stuff looks the same to me 'pics'
Q
Comments (1)
Hopefully someone with more experience will happen along, but it looks like early blight. It can take over very quickly and is favored by high temps and high humidity. I've not been successful yet in fighting it--TAMU suggest the only real way around it is prevention. Good luck!
...See More
Fori
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks!

I've been here about 10 years so can't ask the previous owner. Nobody seems to grow hydrangeas around here for some reason but this and a similar one in the front yard seem to be perfectly well-adjusted. It's grown quite a bit since we started watering it last year. I haven't fertilized it yet but it did get mulched when we added the drip irrigation.

I probably won't have to prune it until we get around to replacing the window it's starting to block--as a soft plant, it's allowed to spill into the walkway a bit. I have different rules for thorny things. :)

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES An All-Star List of 10 Shade Trees to Plant This Fall

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

These tried-and-true varieties offer good-sized canopies, seasonal interest, wildlife benefits and more

GARDENING GUIDES How the Little Act of Saving Seeds Can Make a Big Difference

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

This year, grow an heirloom variety in your garden, save the seeds and play a small part in preserving plant diversity

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Small Garden? You Can Still Do Bamboo

By Matt Kilburn

Forget luck. Having bamboo that thrives on a wee plot just takes planning, picking the right variety, and keeping runners in check

VINTAGE STYLE Get Away From It All in a Glamper

By Laura Gaskill

A glammed-up camper can transport you to a happy place, whether in your yard or on the highway

EXTERIOR COLOR White Delights on Home Exteriors of All Styles

By Bud Dietrich, AIA

You can't go wrong looking on the bright side for a home's exterior — white exteriors like these have been succeeding for hundreds of years

LANDSCAPE DESIGN All-White Gardens Light Up the Night

Lustrous blooms in white, cream and the palest ivory enchant in the landscape at night — and can be practical too

DECLUTTERING Tame the Toy Chaos: Bin Storage for All

By Mary Jo Bowling

New project for a new year: With bins, totes and shelves, a clutter-free playroom can be yours

ORGANIZING How to Store Your Outdoor Gear for Summer and All Year

By Tailorly, Professional Home Organizing

Bikes, boats, boards and beach chairs can take over at this time of year. Here’s how to store them safely and neatly

LANDSCAPE DESIGN 9 Fresh Concrete Patio Ideas for Yards of All Styles

By Lauren Dunec Hoang

This versatile flooring material can enhance landscapes in unexpected ways

RUGS A Rug Can Make a Room — but What Kind to Choose?

By Sophie Baylis

The perfect rug may be all you need to complete your decor with color, texture and coziness. Here’s how to select the right type

Sponsored

More Discussions

hydrangea not blooming

12

Overdose aluminum sulfate

6

Hydrangea bobo vs. hydrangea little hottile.

2

Looking for white hygrengea in 6b

1

Hydrangeas Pruning?

2