Hydrangea paniculata/ quercifolia

I bought a paniculata, Limelight about a week ago and looking forward to bloom in a year or two. Any paniculata growers? How about quercifolia? I would love one of these two but the nursery we visited they were out of these. Hydrangeas Plus sells retail a couple of weekends this time of year and it was hard to know what to pick. I picked a variety called Parizfal, two of them for the east side of my house. They even had a grab bag(no name tags) in gallons for $1. I wish I knew where to put more.

I was growing a H. quercifolia at my previous place. It was one of my favorite shrubs. I splurged one year and purchased a monster 7 gallon one that was on sale...for something like $40. It did not bloom the first year but the interesting bark and great leaves would make this plant garden worth even if it never bloomed. It has done a great job competing with mature trees for water and had a good show of blooms last year (it second year in the garden).

- Brent

Hi Jo,

I grow mainly paniculatas. I do have one quercifolia - for me it gets some dieback and fewer flowers.


tardiva/limelight

Al, I want to see one that you call "FULL of flowers", if this beauty isn't it.

:-)
Sasha

Those are paniculatas - here is my quercifolia

Al,
Is that an 'Oakleaf' Hydrangea?

Yes it is - not a named variety.

Thanks, Al.

I was seriously considering one of these.

I just realized recently it get's up to 10 ft tall, and way too big for where I wanted it.

Sasha

I could never imagine it getting that height in 5a. I know of an older specimen at an arboretum that is 4' of so. I really prefer the paniculatas of all the hydrangeas - some can get tall though for you.

Looks great, Al, my dd bought me a peewee quercifolia for Mother's Day. It is only supposed to get 3' by 3'. I was tickled to get it. I think I am beginning to see buds forming on the paniculata too.

I was tempted by a 'Linelight' a couple weeks ago, in a non-local nursery. It had been shipped in, and the blooms were a gorgeous lime green.

I read somewhere that the blooms show more white(like yours, Al). Why is that? Is it because of our Alkaline soil, in the MidWest, or what?

Anyone know?

I passed on the limelight, because I couldn't remember if it bloomed on new wood, and the lady in attendance had no idea. I was 100 miles from home, so didn't want to chance it, unless I knew for sure.

Sasha

Lenjo, I love the size of the peewee querc.-that would fit perfect in the border bed that I'm looking to put a Hyd. in.

I don't think the paniculatas vary in color quite the way the mopheads or lacecaps do. I think they are basically white, they may look a little greenish when new but as they age they become whiter. Does this sound right, Al?

Jo - I've seen the Pee Wee oakleaf in catalogs. It is confusing because I have a PeeGee hydrangea named Pee Wee also.

As far as the color of Limelight - mine is near white I will say, not pure white or green tinged lke they say. I really don't think paniculatas or quercifolias color is influenced by the pH like macrophlly's or seratta's. Limelight blooms on new and old wood. I usually get a little dieback I prune off in the spring and it doesn't effect the flowering. I was looking at buying the Swan but saw it blooms on old wood. I picked up Unique instead this year.

This message was edited May 21, 2007 4:39 PM

Al,
I'm confused.

I'm in zone 5a also, and would think you'd want Hyds that bloom on new wood?
Have you discovered a sure-fire way to prevent last years buds from freezing off, during our winters?

I have a Macro "nikko Blue' that I'm about to give up on, because no matter how I try to give it winter protection-I always lose last years bloom buds-so all I get is beautiful, lush foliage, and maybe a couple blooms way down low, the following year.
What's your secret?

Sasha

You're right - I fixed the error. The buds form in early summer.

The last of my big leafed hydrangeas I am giving away for the same reason.

This is my Pee Wee PG hydrangea - wants to fight being a tree form.

Gee, AL!

Now, THAT burst my bubble....!! Rats. Here I thought you were going to impart some magnificent wisdom.

:-)
Sasha

My wisdom is to plant you Nikko Blue's somewhere as a foliage plant and buy annuals with blue color instead.LOL

There is almost no talk of paniculatas on this forum so I'll post another one - this is Little Lamb

Here in NW Ga, all 14 of my other hyds froze back to the ground Easter weekend-23 was cold! My 3 quercifolias, though, are great even though they lost all of their spring leaves, they put back out almost immediately and are full of buds. My other hyds are barely a foot high-again. Sort of made me think more of the lowly oak leaf varieties because they are so tough and beautiful with their dried blooms, silvery leaves and peeling red bark in the winter; they are truly four seasons of interest. They root very easily, too. My favorite way is just to nick a branch, push it down into the soil, cover with compost and mulch and a few staples to hold it and next spring, a new plant pops out right along with mom. I love free plants!

hi i have a few hydrangea annabelles they are 3 years old when i bought them 3 years ago they were blooming they did not bloom last year and this year someone told me to fertilize with oscomote i did and i have been watering religiously anybody think they have a chance of blooming oh i have never pruned them and they are in part shade with some sun can anybody help thanks

I grow Hydrangeas for sale, the Paniculata varieties (no internet sales, so I can say this). As far as I know all Paniculatas bloom on new growth. Al, I can say absolutely The Swan does.

Here's a pic from an old thread showing my Limelight. In partial shade they do tend to be greener, until fully opened.

http://davesgarden.com/forums/fp.php?pid=2280698

Pollyk, that is just stunning, I see little buds on mine that I just bought this spring. Reminds just a little of the viburnum we call the Snowball tree but the bud heads or more conical instead of globular. My paniculata does get shade and plenty of sun too.

blau--'Anabelle' is a H. arborescens cultivar, but they also bloom on new growth. There are a couple possibilities why it's not blooming--one would be not enough sun, they will do fine in a decent amt of shade, but they do need some sun so if it's not really getting much that could be why. The other reason is it may need to be pruned to stimulate some new growth--you might try pruning out some of the older branches and see what happens.

If I may add to ecranes excellent advice, Annabelle can take full sun here in the north. However, it just may be their age. Pot grown plants often have a habit of flowering the year you plant them, and then not again for a couple of years, just needing to settle into their new homes. They were settled into the pots, and that's why they bloomed the first year planted. Lilacs, for ex. are famous for this. I expect you will get blooms this year, or next. Do you see any buds yet? Mine have just started to get their flower buds.

Polly - I always figured all paniculatas would bloom on new wood since they don't set buds before winter. I ended up picking up The Swan today then also for $6, I figured it was so cheap because the reputable seller doesn't guarantee it's plants.

Good buy Al!

Hey Al, good deal on your 'Swan'! Love the blooms on this one but hate its habit - just too darned floppy. I should have listened to Dirr - he was giving a tour of the gardens at JC Raulston Arboretum in NC several years ago and made it very obvious that he disliked 'The Swan' - I couldn't understand why - fell in love with the flowers on this one, but now I know - it's a "sloppy" Hydrangea.

I'll keep an eye on it. I might be able to help it along to grow more upright.

Swan does tend to flop. When the first growth gets quite tall, I tie it up. Doesn't look pretty for the first year, but then the new growth hardens in an upright position, and looks less floppy. I do that with Limelight also.

thanks for all your advice they did bloom the first year out of the pot and this is the second year no blooms last year and i am hoping for blooms to happen this year i fertilized and they are in a wonderful spt sun half of the day and they are at the edge of a woodland garden cant think of anything else that could be wrong except that they need to settle in hope something happens this year thanks

Al~How big does Tardiva get for you, H x W? I saw Limelight at local nursery, but not that one. Another customer was buying Limelight because, she said, it's flowers dried the best shade of orange!?

My Tardiva is 4 years old and 5' high and 4' wide. They can be pruned to control the width some and you can grow stuff under them a little bit. I really like Tardiva.

I think you know why I'm asking, LOL. I'm in the process of expanding tmy hosta bed, and would like to plant shrubs as background plants. I really like Tardiva's narrower leaves and lacy flowers. But the oak-leafs sound great too, so maybe I'll mix it up. Has anyone here found Little Honey for sale yet? It's a dwarf gold-foliaged oak-leaf, but must be propagated via tissue culture, so it's expensive and I understand, still has a limited release. I think Pee Wee oak-leaf and Little Honey would look good together. Don't know if I should combine Tardiva with Limelight, as you have Al. If you had to do it over, would you plant both or multiples of one cultivar? What is the pinkish flower next to them? I believe Calycanthus like the same conditions.

Well not only did I combine them I also moved Quickfire and The Swan next to them. I don't mind how they look together. The pinkish flower next to them was French Lace weigela - which didn't fit in or grow large enough to be noticeable there - it was moved out. I do think if space is an issue the oakleafs might be smaller for you.

I can get Quickfire locally, if she still has them that is. Space is not that much of an issue, it just depends on how wide I can make this bed without pooping out, LOL. I have to finish soon so things settle in before the high heat of summer.