RE: Hydrangea-reply

At 03:24 PM 7/21/98 -0500, Peter & Jennifer Overholt wrote:
>Marilyn Dube wrote:
>
>Hydrangeas all  have different tolerance for sun.  I grow them in full 
>shade to part sun.
>
>MArilyn would this also explain why my hydrana form buds that open & 
>"flatten" but never develop flowers? They develop what looks almost like a 
>Queen Annes lace head covered with little tiny balls. Some of the heads get 
>one or two flowers, but that is about it! I have been watering it more 
>frequentkly this year, but perhaps it gets too much sun?
>
>Jenny
>SE WI zone 5

Jenny,  You are describing a lacecap Hydrangea flower with a large flat
umbel of the tiny fertile flowers in the center and the large sterile
flowers around the edge.  It is not uncommon for the large flowers to be
sparse.  There are often flowerheads with large flowers completely
surrounding the  tiny center flowers and flowerheads with just 3 or 4
flowers surrounding the tiny center flowers blooming on the same bush.  It
seems to be characteristic of the species.  Generally speaking, I think the
lace caps do better with more shade.  They don't need as much water in a
shadier area either.  You might try fertilizing your shrub with a high
phosphorus (middle number) fertilizer or a bloom formula like 0-10-10 to
improve the quality of your blooms.    Marilyn
Marilyn Dube'
NATURAL DESIGN PLANTS
Hardy Perennials, Choice Tropicals
Portland, Oregon,  Zone 8b


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