Smooth Hydrangea 'Bella Anna'

My old woody plant teacher, Dr. Dirr, when I was at the University of ILL, selected this cultivar. I have only seen this cultivar once, w...Read Morehich was at Morton Arboretum, where it was looking good in June 2015. It is one of those cultivars that bear only the sterile flowers, no fertile flowers with stamen and pistils, so it is not good for pollinators, and will not be embraced by those in the native, naturalistic horticulture movement. I prefer the "lacecap" types of hydrangeas because they bear both the pretty sterile flowers and the fertile flowers in the flower cluster, which is the natural form of flower cluster for hydrangeas, some viburnums, and other woody plants. I would be happy to plant one of these or another similar cultivar in a bigger planting of the straight species.

Purchased these expensive hydrangeas because of the description of being a strong stemmed pink bloom. (we have lake wind) It has been thr...Read Moreee years now and flowers are small and stems are super weak. All in all I would not recommend. I am moving them this spring to other property to see if there is improvement, if not then off to the dump!

I continue to grow mine sited between two traditional Annabelles. However, I'm generally unimpressed with the plant.

As of...Read More 2014, you can still find a few nurseries carrying these as growers still seem to be producing them. And, the product still has its own page hidden on Endless Summer's website. But, the product is no longer shown alongside its ES brethren or acknowledged in its product listing. So I guess we can assume it's getting the axe, a.k.a. dropped from the product line.

Personal observations over the last 3+ years are that:

1. The plant does not grow as fast as Annabelle. New shoots from the ground are several inches shorter.
2. The blooms are not quite as large (overall) as Annabelle.
3. Old wood stems are not much sturdier than new wood. Old wood with new shoots will fall to the ground under the weight of the new shoots (minus blooms).
4. New shoots coming from old wood will randomly die off throughout the growing season.
5. Nursery specimens have looked leggy and disheveled, which doesn't make the consumer want to buy it.

Dr. Mike Dirr's commented in his recent paper about breeding, selection and marketing simply that is has "stems that do not support the inflorescences."

My conclusion is that what the folks at ES probably agreed on: (as of 2014) There really is no pink Annabelle.

Feb. 2016, the cultivar is becoming more difficult to find due to the difficulty for commercial propagation. Most growers no longer prod...Read Moreuce Bella Anna, leaving it a relic of the breeding process to make better pink/red smooth hydrangeas. Newer cultivars are coming onto the market with stronger stems and better color.