Re: All Summer Beauty

In a message dated 1/17/03 3:34:01 AM Eastern Standard Time, mtalt@hort.net 
writes:


> Probably don't get flowers on this one, Claire, as it blooms on old
> wood and is generally not bud hardy much beyond z 5 with protection. 
> Actually, I'm rather surprised it survives in z4 at all.  Interesting
> to find out.

Marge,

The trick to northern bloom on this and similar of the big leaf group, at 
least the marketing trick, is that the plant is capable of throwing new wood 
which can mature in the current season and bloom.  This process is thought to 
take some months giving you guys, I would guess, south of Washington a longer 
season or really a second season.  While we can see the new wood come on, the 
season is not long enough to mature the flower buds.  The hunt is on for big 
leaf hydrangeas that can do this trick in a shorter time.  In time, I 
suppose, there will be one.

For those that can grow the beautiful lacecaps and pastel colors, enjoy them. 
 When you look into what is available it is considerable and I wonder why 
more southern gardeners don't use hydrangeas.  One day at a rocks meeting 
someone asked what it is we have that cannot be grown in the south or PNW or 
desert, something we can say is the best here.  The best we could come up 
with was conifers.  Some conifers reach stately beauty only in northern 
states.

Claire Peplowski
NYS z4

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