Impressed with "Tuff Stuff"

(Zone 4b)

Who knows when my established "Endless Summer" hydrangeas will give blooms on new wood given the brutally cold winter which frequently showed temps between -10 F and -15 F.

In contrast I see the start of many flowers on our 2 year old Hydrangea serrata "Tuff Stuff" (all on new wood).

Hurst, TX(Zone 7b)

I wanted one of those but could not find them locally.

This winter, I noticed that those that are blooming are either a lacecap macrophylla, oakleafs or new wood paniculatas. The lacecap may have had an edge in that it was in a protected location. I do not have serratas. For some reason, I do not "see" serratas for sale locally. Those and paniculatas are hard to find.

I called Proven Winners and tracked down the Tuff Series to one nursery here but they were out of a-a-a-a-l-l hydrangeas by the time I drove over. I was hoping to see Tuff Stuff.. and Tiny TS. Share pics when it decides to bloom!!!

Enjoy your bloomage, rouge21. I think it was a good buy.

Can you comment on fall foliage? Is it the normal leaf color progression -green to brown- or more like oakleaf's color progression (purples, reds, oranges)?

Luis

(Zone 4b)

UPDATE:

In my zone "TS" has come into bloom sooner than any of my many other hydrangeas. And with the most recent very demanding winter all these blooms are on new wood.

(Luis, I don't recall the Fall colour of this particular plant. I will keep that in mind once Autumn rolls around)

Thumbnail by rouge21
(Zone 4b)

UPDATE:


Here it is as of today. Lots of blooms and the perfect size thus far.

Thumbnail by rouge21
Springfield, OR(Zone 8a)

Beautiful!

(Zone 4b)

UPDATE:

Another brutal winter and this same TS is just fine. It is 3 feet across and lots of blooms coming on-line:

Thumbnail by rouge21
Hurst, TX(Zone 7b)

Ah, I like the "lots of blooms" comment as I have a spot for a 3 footer one but just have to decide which compact hydrangea to plant there. Tuff Stuff and Tiny Stuff and still in the list. These oakleafs are also in the running to add to my other dwarf oakleafs but I only have space for one shrub: Little Honey, Sikes Dwarf, Vaughn's Lillie, Jetstream and Hayes Starburst. I have not decided what to get yet though. This location is in the north side of the house where two mopheads and Ruby Slippers did not bloom this year. That failure to bloom makes me lean towards one of the two Tuff Brothers. Ha!!! What to do? What to do? Hee hee hee. Too hot now so I will keep procrastinating & thinking about it thru September. Thanks for the updated picture! Say, I just remembered an old post from you... how is the Vanilla Strawberry that you posted about some time ago?

This message was edited Jul 28, 2015 1:44 AM

(Zone 4b)

Say, I just remembered an old post from you... how is the Vanilla Strawberry that you posted about some time ago?

Hi 'Luis', I will post a picture of that stand of VS sometime this week (no pink yet I am sure). It will have a difficult time looking as good as last year given our current stretch w/o rain :(.

(Btw, a neighbour earlier in May was asking my advice for some plantings along his fence. I shot her off that picture from last year of those VS and she was sold. I was able to pick up 3 excellent specimens for them...they are doing well as they have a sprinkler system).

(Zone 4b)

Ah, I like the "lots of blooms" comment as I have a spot for a 3 footer one but just have to decide which compact hydrangea to plant there. Tuff Stuff and Tiny Stuff and still in the list.

Corresponding with others it seems that Tiny Tuff Stuff is quite small...not very vigorous?

I have 2 "Tuff Stuff" and the more established one in full sun is doing fine but does show scorching on the leaves and it does require water. So I am thinking that in very sunny and hot TX it might be a sturggle to keep it looking good? The second one (planted last August) gets dappled sun and looks quite healthy. I am thinking it will be more floriferous next season.



This message was edited Jul 28, 2015 6:53 AM

Thumbnail by rouge21 Thumbnail by rouge21
Hurst, TX(Zone 7b)

Yup, some browning is par the course over here in very sunny and hot TX.

I am considering Tiny due to growth from a pine that is located in the area I am thinking of. It would keep the growth under the branches.

You know, there is a plant nursery close to me with a "too large" supply of VS's. The too-large number of plants and the hot weather tells me that they may not be able to sell them now at full price. The extra weight from all these VS pots also causes gravity to increase and, gosh, it formed a black hole three weeks ago. As a result, my car seems to end at that store often, if for no other reason but to ck the current price and then escape the gravity of this new baby black hole. :o)

(Zone 4b)

UPDATE

I picked up last week a newer variety of "Tuff Stuff" called "Tuff Stuff" RED. Anyone else see this one?

Hurst, TX(Zone 7b)

I saw that on the Internet within the last month or two also but I never understood why call this one Red/differently because the ads did not explain. Go here to see:

https://www.provenwinners.com/plants/hydrangea/tuff-stuff-red-mountain-hydrangea-hydrangea-serrata

All I could guess is maybe the blooms resists turning blue in acidic soils.

This message was edited Jun 16, 2016 9:53 PM

(Zone 4b)

2016:

One of our two TS. This one gets less sun and in this very dry sunny summer it is doing better than the full sun one. (I have had to give supplemental water to both) The color is nice but I am hoping to see more blooms in total at any given time:

Thumbnail by rouge21
Pequannock, NJ(Zone 6b)

That is a very pretty hydrangea and I'm impressed it blooms well for you in zone 4b.

(Zone 4b)

Thanks Loretta/.

This past Fall I moved the one shown in the July 2014,2015 posts above. It was very healthy but very few blooms this past season. I put it in a more shady location hoping that will help.

Pequannock, NJ(Zone 6b)

Just the fact you got any blooms after a move is impressive.

(Zone 4b)

No 'Loretta' I wasnt clear in my post. I moved it in October 2016 and the first sign of success will be green buds this spring 2017 with hopefully some blooms the summer of 2017.

Pequannock, NJ(Zone 6b)

Oh, Ok! Thanks for clearing that up.

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