Serrata Versus Macrophylla for Southeast Gardeners

Mountain hydrangeas are easier to grow, require lower maintenance, and bloom better in our region

Nipponese peck hydrangea ( Hydrangea serratacvs . , Zones 6–9 ) is deserving a try in your garden , particularly if you feel that you have been disappointed by bigleaf hydrangeas ( H. macrophyllacvs . , Zones 4–9 ) in the past . Bigleaf hydrangea is the most commonly grown hydrangea in the United States . Without a incertitude , most of their spectacular displays bloom in coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest or seaboard in the Northeast , in Zones 6–9 . Many have difficultness growing bigleaf hydrangea in the Southeast . especially in the north and central region of the region , we have problem get consistent bloom year after yr . At my house in Knoxville , Tennessee , I have only had what I would consider a decent bloom four out of the last 10 years . This is not true for all nurseryman , and I have see cracking blooms in berth like Athens , Georgia , over the years .

The advantages of mountain hydrangea

If you have problem with consistent bloom on your bigleaf hydrangea , believe mountain hydrangea . This species can withstand more heat energy and is far more coherent in blossom for areas of the Southeast . Additionally , it is often more compact . Most mountain hydrangea cultivars are lacecaps . This mean they have clusters of small fertile florets in the center of the inflorescence , and showy nonfertile bract in a doughnut on the out-of-door sharpness of the blossom . This is an advantage for those wish to pull in pollinator to their garden . The blatant , fertile prime are often covered with a variety of bee and white Anglo-Saxon Protestant busily impress from bloom to flower .

When planted in the right fix , very petty pruning if any is necessary for this plant . I normally do the bare minimum of snipping off shabby spent blooms right after bloom . Mountain hydrangea blooms on old wood , or last season ’s growth . Gardeners in the Southeast should put a moratorium on anypruningbefore June comes to an end .

A few stellar cultivars

‘ Beni - Gaku ’ is the first cultivar of mountain hydrangea that I became familiarize with in my garden . It has stayed around 3 feet tall and 3 metrical unit wide-eyed and has been a authentic bloomer for many years . Bloom heads tend to be 3 to 6 column inch across and pop out at a very tripping pinkish color , later antiquing to nearly rise red-faced . This cultivar continues to shine in the crepuscle as stems and leaves compound their colour to varying shades of mystifying red and Bourgogne .

In the trial work at the State Botanical Garden of Tennessee in Knoxville , we have been impressed with several of the fresh reblooming or remontant varieties of mountain hydrangea that have recently become available to gardener . We have been particularly strike by the series called Tuff Stuff ™ from Proven Winners and the gentility program of Tim Wood . cultivar you may see in the garden nerve centre admit Tuff Stuff ™ ( ‘ MAK20 ’ ) , Tuff Stuff Ah - Ha ® (‘SMNHSDD ’ ) , Tuff Stuff ™ Red ( ‘ SMNMAKTSR ’ ) , and Tiny Tuff Stuff ™ ( ‘ MAKD ’ ) , all of which have done well in our Tennessee garden . Each of these cultivar has show to be a better flub than the straight species and is relatively compendious .

Siting your mountain hydrangea

I suggest looking for a place that get either uniform clean ghost or break of the day sun and early good afternoon tad . If a quite a little hydrangea is placed in too much Dominicus , blooms can languish early on , and plants may demand more supplemental watering . Do your best to implant in area with relatively good air circulation to prevent powdery mildew on folio during the growing time of year . Loose , well - drained soil is preferable , and overly torpid soil should be quash .

Time for something new

Hydrangeas in general are a favourite for gardeners across the Southeast . Many keen gardeners have grown passel hydrangea for years . However , it ’s still not a vulgar works for most home nurseryman . Spring and fall are both great clock time to implant this hydrangea . If you are not familiar with this underused works , perhaps now is the perfect time to add one to your garden . If you ’d like to see more about mountain hydrangea , see ourplant guide entry here , andget more idea on the dependable pot hydrangea cultivar here .

— Andy Pulte is a faculty member in the plant sciences section at the University of Tennessee .

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hydrangeas

Tuff Stuff™ Red mountain hydrangea, left, packs just as much beauty and interest as a classic mophead like Pink N’ Pretty® bigleaf hydrangea (H. macrophylla‘Monink’, Zones 5–9), right.Photos: Andy Pulte (left), Jennifer Benner (right)

Mountain Mania mountain hydrangea