I bought this beautiful hydrangea at the local flea market. There is no name on it, but I just love the flowers, so have added it to my garden. I paid $6.00 for it in a 1 gallon pot. I also got a red flowered Christmas cactus for $5.00 in a gallon pot. I need to repot both as they are root bound somewhat. The hydrangea is now in a 1/2 wine barrel and can grow there for years. I will go out to the nursery tomorrow and find a nice planter for the Christmas cactus and keep it on the front porch.
Very nice and an excellent price. I could not tell from the picture very well, but it made me think of Hydrangea Hanabi, also known as Shooting Star.
Luis - please correct me if I'm wrong: I thought the white flowering Fuji Waterfall and Shooting Star were the two very similar (if not the exact same plant) while Izo No Hana* is either pink or blue - http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/49256/
*My Izo No Hana was purchased for me at Heronswood as Izo No Hanabi shortly before they closed.
This link speaks of the similarity of Fuji Waterfall, Shooting Star and Hanabi.
http://hydrangeasplus.com/Hydrangea_Macrophylla_Fuji_Waterfall.html
Here's Shooting Star, which came from a California friend:
'Hanabi' and 'Izu no Hana' are different plants. If yours has pink/blue flowers then I think Heronswood probably just made a typo in the last part of the name and yours is 'Izu no hana' (I also have it, and it's definitely got pink flowers in my soil). Here's a pic of 'Hanabi': http://www.prideofplaceplants.com/flowering_shrubs/hydrangea_hanabi.html
Thank you for the clarification.
I'll take a photo of the Heronswood label for my 'Izu No Hanabi' and post it.
Here is Heronswood's 'Izu No Hanabi' http://www.heronswood.com/hydrangea-hydrangeas/hydrangea-serrata-izu-no-hanabi/
Hanabi and Shooting Star are the same plant. Fuji Waterfall is a similar shrub. Izo no hana is also similar but the pink/blue florets are colored and tend to grow in all directions instead of sometimes clustering.
Thanks, Luis.
Here is my label from Heronswood showing the name as 'Izu no Hanabi'. It's very confusing if 'Izu no Hana' is the same plant.
I think Heronswood may be calling it by the wrong name...a little googling didn't turn up anyone else mentioning a cultivar by that name, so I suspect it's just a mislabeled Izu No Hana. (I bought my Izu No Hana from Heronswood shortly before they were sold)
Thanks, Ecrane. I doubt it's a misspelling but I will contact Heronswood to find out more information.
Kristen Van Hoose of Hydrangeas Plus replied to my Email as follows:
Hi Arlene,
I haven't heard of Izu No Hanabi. It's not in the books on hydrangeas nor have my international sources heard of it. I did see it on Heronswood site but there wasn't a lot of detail. From the pictures on Heronswood, I would say no, these are not the same cultivar.
The Izu peninsula of Japan is a hot spot for hydrangea breeding and discovery of new varieties. It is possible it is a unique variety that only Heronswood carries.
Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. If you would like, send me a picture of both in bloom and I can try to verify they are different.
Sincerely,
Kristin
***************************************************************************************************************************
My apologies to marti for these posts. You did get a great deal, marti, and I hope you enjoy it.
Heronswood shows both and they are different looking flowers:
Heronswood Izu No Hana - http://tinyurl.com/75l6cns
Heronswood Izu No Hanabi - http://www.heronswood.com/shop/05741/
I think a lot of things do get strange labels - I bought one called Harlequin which is a pink and white striped mophead and I got what I think is a Miyama Yae-murasaki
http://www.joycreek.com/Hydrangea-serrata-Miyama-Yae-murasaki-294-086.htm
and here is mine - I was so pleased when it bloomed... I bought it as a tiny plant so did not get to see the bloom. Always better to buy it in bloom when you can.
I have a Izu No Hana and it was very expensive and has not bloomed since I bought it in 2008. I did buy it in bloom and was in love with the metallic colors! wow! I've put in in a big pot and am moving it around to see what it wants. It burns with the least bit too much sun. It is in a nice filtered sun spot and putting out a lot of new growth so I am hopeful.
Thank you so much for your help, sterhill.
The one you were sent is very lovely and, strange as it seems, I have Harlequin and love it.
Izu No Hanabi was $35.95 so to read some people say it's the same as Izu No Hana (much less expensive) had me puzzled. I'll get some photos this year.
well, Heronswood sure shows them as two different flowers. My Hana was $45 and the most I've ever paid for a hydrangea and it was gorgeous when I bought it. Now if I could only get it to BLOOM! This year everything else I have in the hydrangea family is blooming its heart out - the Shooting Stars are huge - blooms about 12" across and all the serratas are gorgeous... I have a Midnight Duchess that is covered with blooms but that Hana sits there and nada.
It's a beauty Sterhill!
