Hi there - wondering if anyone has experience with Endless Summer hydrangeas in partial to almost full shade, near trees? I'm in VA, zone 6b, trying to find something nice for the side of a house that's shaded by big oaks all summer... Thanks~
Can Endless Summer take shade?
Pretty much every hydrangea likes partial shade--morning sun is fine but sun in the afternoon especially in a hot climate will usually fry them. If it's in complete shade though it probably won't bloom well, they do need to get some sun to bloom nicely. The other thing to be careful about if they're around trees is that the tree will tend to suck up most of the available water, so they may wilt easier than if they had the ground to themselves. This might not be as much of a problem for you though since you live in a wetter climate than I do, but I had some that I planted under a tree and they were constantly wilting until I moved them farther away from its roots, then they did just fine.
An 'Endless Summer' was planted June '06 under a pin oak, s.e.so it gets some morning sun. It is not bloom much last year, so I'm hoping it'll do grand this year. Its my first hydrangea experience too. I'll keep you posted :*)
Mine bloomed like crazy in part shade.
I don't think it would bloom much in too much shade. Mine it coming back now
Yardqueen, it is coming from out of the ground? Nothing on the stalks? I am in zone 5, borderline 4, and I am so worried that I lost mine. I had it alongside a vareagated one and put straw on both for the winter. I took the straw off and nothing except rotted leaves. I see you are zone 8. Maybe there is hope for mine yet.
But, I just planted it last year and the crazy little thing bloomed so much that it didn't grow at all. Just one blossom after the other. Didn't get any size to it.
Jeanette
Jeanette,
Yes it is coming up from the ground but if you look at the branches they are sprouting also. Mine did not grow a lot last year either but they bloomed a lot. It was so hot and I got them a little late also. I planted four of them and all four are coming back. I also did some cuttings and a few of them may have rooted, I am not sure. I did them in the fall and kept them in the greenhouse all winter. I am sure that cuttings do better in the spring. I read to take them early from a branch that has not bloomed yet. With these buggers that will be hard to do...LOL
Carol
crickets, if the sun slants in under the trees in the morning, and in the late afternoon, that might be enough. I'd try it. Don't expect too much bloom the first year. Also, you might want to give it an extra dose of triple phosphates to make them bloom. Or a lot of bone meal but it is slower-acting.
Mine had to be moved in the fall from too much sun to what I hope is not too much shade! It is leafing out nicely so we shall see. This is my only hydrangea since I don't have too much shade or patience for pruning.
Thanks for the tip on planting near trees - that might become a different problem.... I will keep an eye on my baby.
-Kim
They can't take full sun in Texas, thats for sure. Even in the part shade I had some sunburned leaves. They bloomed non stop till frost got 'em
Hey everyone! I guess it's pink hydrangeas for me, soil tends to be alkaline when you live near a limestone quarry, LOL. I'm looking for something to combine with and complement my very old, large bluish hosta (I think it's Elegans, not sure). The orientation is south-east, next to the deck, and this would be the "bones" of my shade garden. Is Endless Summer the right one, or something else?