Hi to all! I was given a variegated hydrangea from a friend last year and I finally put it in the ground this spring.It looks like its going to bloom soon and I was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to grow it successfully.I dont have any other hydrangeas so Im not sure what to expect...Thanks
Heres a closeup shot...
Those variegated ones are pretty Dave. I have several myself. Since the leaves are variegated I sort of thought they should be treated the same as most other hydrangeas......filtered sun. This will be the second year for mine and it bloomed nicely last year. I'll post a pic.
I was playing in the back yard with my son and looked over the neighbors fence and saw something like your hydrangea. It had quite a few hardwood stems. I know that it lost all it's leaves in the winter. I thought it was a hosta to begin with but then I saw the stems. A couple of sweetgum balls have fallen off my tree on their side of the fence and there is a tree about 3 ft. tall coming up. Beside the hydrangea is a baby hydrangea coming up. I'm going to beg the neighbor for it (my son told me to jump over the fence and grab it, yeah my luck I'd break my neck LOL and he'd tell on me!!!) or they would come home from work!! Theirs is growing on the back side of the house in part shade.
Good luck,
Susan
Thanks to Bugme an Raggedyann! This plant gets a couple hours of direct sun but it hasnt seemed to hurt it any yet.I'll post a pic when it finally blooms.I noticed that youre both from Georgia,I just drove thru your beatifull state last week traveling to and from my moms in S.C. The dogwoods, azaleas and hydrangeas were breathtaking!! I even scored some oakleaf hydrangea cuttings from a gas station when we stopped to walk the dog! Raggedy, if your neighbor wont give you any I'll start you a cutting soon just let me know... thanks again, Dave
(edited for spelling)
This message was edited Apr 20, 2006 8:48 PM
I asked my neighbor and what they have is some kind of variegated shrub. It doesn't bloom, but it sure looks like the one in your pic. I would be forever greatful if you could root me one. I will be happy to pay shipping or send $$.
Have fun in your garden!
Susan
Dave, I just bought a variegated one from Walmart. The picture on the tag shows pink, the information reads blue, and it is starting to open and looks like pink. Should be interesting.
The tag does not have a zone on it and I am on the short side of zone 5. So, I don't know how it will do. It really makes me mad when they don't say.
Good luck with yours. They really are nice. Jeanette
I have your variegated hydrangea and mine is about 10 years old. Since you are in a 'hot' climate, I would suggest you keep the roots well mulched with compost to conserve moisture. You'll be able to tell if it's getting too much sun, since the leaves will scorch. If they don't, then you're fine. Like other variegated plants, sometimes these can put up a plain green shoot. If that happens, cut it off at the trunk. You'll love this shrub!
Gee Pixy, you are in zone 8. Do you know it's hardiness? I sprayed mine with Messenger the other day and it looks beautiful. It is pink. I don't know where to plant it because I don't have too many places where it would be protected in the winter.
What do you think?
Jeanette
It should be hardy to zone 5, but if you have a bad winter it may freeze to the ground. As long as the roots don't freeze it should come back. If it were me, I'd mulch it good before the really cold winter sets in.
Most macrophyllas are hardy, but some of them bloom on old wood. So if it dies to the ground during the winter, there go your blooms for the year. If you don't know whether yours blooms on old wood or new wood, or both, you can always wrap the shrub in burlap or even bubble wrap to get it through the worst part of the winter.
Now that is a great idea. I have seen a lot of uses for bubble wrap but not for that and I'll bet it would be great. Maybe some burlap pinned around the bubblewrap. Thanks Pixy.
I've been watching your plans for the roundup. When is that going to be?
Jeanette
No, as a matter of fact, that is the day my daughter's family is coming over from Federal Way.
