Pee Gee showing signs of blooms.
At about 20 feet tall, blooms are starting to appear all throughout the tree. This one is in the front yard. We have two more in the back yard but we have to cut it down to let the sun shine through our veggie patch. But they have new growths and are now big bushes otherwise they would have been as tall as the one pictured below.
I bet it's a pretty site. I've never seen one in tree form. Good old PeeGees, a hydrangea staple.
Tex, may I ask how old is your Pee Gee? I've one in the dappled shade under big trees for 4-5 years. It has adamently refused to bloom for me. I begun to suspect this variety requires more sun in order to bloom? Please share your experience. Thanks.
Lilylove - I always thought PeeGees are sun worshippers! That's why they grow into a tree (if you train it to be a tree). But then I'm in the Northeast and most hydrangeas can tolerate a lot of sun in my zone.
My PeeGees get a whole day worth of sun and they're more than 20 years old! I think they flower both on old and new wood.
The blooms are getting noticeable from the distance.
And Pastime - Yes, indeed it's always a pretty sight. The huge blooms will get too heavy for the branches and the lower branches will droop towards the ground creating a cascading or waterfall effect.
This message was edited Jul 15, 2009 8:13 PM
Thanks Tex, I will see about move mine into a sunnier area this fall.
I planted three standard hydrangeas several years ago. Unfortunately, I didn't save the tag, so I didn't know the variety. When my lawn service hit one of them with a mower two years,ago it broke the bark and the tree eventually died. I replaced it with all I could find - a 'Pee Gee' standard.
The 'PG' blooms earlier and has smaller leaves than the other two standards, but I still like its look. I cut back all of the branches on all of my hydrangea standards each fall.
The other two standards are larger, and produce larger blooms. If anyone can help ID this variety, I'd appreciate your input.
My old PG hydrangea is just about ready to bloom. I have no idea how old it is as it came with the house. It has about 6 trunks at the central base. It stands over 25' tall. The width is 16' from one side to the center and 19' from the other, 35' across. It still grows taller every year. When in bloom (about Aug 1st) the entire top is covered in white and the buzzing can be heard around the yard. We also have over 100 mophead hydrangea plants. They are a little later and should be in full bloom within 30 days, most stand about 4' high and have huge blue blooms. Right now only about 10 blooms are full size. If anyone is in or visiting Western NC, you are welcome to visit. Please d-mail to arrange.
Blackberryhill, that's so kind of you to offer visitation. Thank you. Leawoodgardener, I wished I knew what kind of hydrangeas you have. Have you tried the tree I.D. forum?
LeawoodGardener - Basing on the leaf structure and the cream blooms, I think your tree is Paniculata Tardiva. If the foliage is glossy green then it might be Paniculata Tardiva.
I think that's an EXCELLENT guess, Tex68 - I could not remember the name, but seeing it in your message, it looks and sounds familiar.
Thanks for your help! Here is how it will look in a week or two.
Here's how the tree look like now. Blooms are getting bigger but not yet fully developed.
The tree on the left with the pink blooms is crape myrtle just starting to flower.
This message was edited Jul 30, 2009 2:11 AM
WOW. Very impressive. I planted a Crepe Myrtle last year, but I think it died over the winter - they are marginal in zone 5.
Thank you Lily_Love. I will post a picture when the hydrangea tree is in full bloom so someone can identify it. Still only a few blooms open but finally got some rain!!! Had even started watering the woods!
