Re: Hydrangea macrophylla 'pink beauty'

Hi Barbara,
You may want to purchase the new H. macrophylla cultivar 'Endless Summer' that was in limited release late this summer and will be available in most garden centers in the spring of 2004.

Marge's statement "All this species bloom on old wood." is not true.

H. macrophylla 'Endless Summer' blooms on new wood so it doesn't matter if it dies to the ground during the winter. This plant was "discovered" growing in St. Paul, Minnesota, which is in USDA zone 4a (-200F to -300F). 

Here is a link to info on Dr. Michael Dirr's web site about this new hydrangea cultivar:

http://www.nobleplants.com/articles/ajchydrangeamacrophylla.htm

There are a couple of H. macrophylla cultivars available that bloom on new wood. 
Good luck,
Mike

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>
>Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2003 11:16:10 EDT
>From: WhtRos2@aol.com
>Subject: Hydrangea macrophylla 'pink beauty'
>
>Good Day!
>I have had this plant for 5 or 6 years now.
>It dies back every winter.
>It seems to only bloom on old wood -- stems that are near the ground and get 
>covered by leaves in the fall.
>I'm not happy with the 1 or 2 blooms I get so I am planning on donating it to 
>the local hort plant sale tomorrow.
>Someone suggested I didn't have it planted right but he was busy and I didn't 
>get what he thot I should do differently.
>Are any of you familiar with this plant and tell me what your experience is 
>with this plant in the 'frozen north?'
>I have it on the North side of my house in bright shade.
>Thanx for your help, 
>Barbara.
>USDA Zone 5, Rock Island, Illinois USA 
>@}-->-->---------------------
>    @}-->-->---------------------
>
>------------------------------
>
>Date: Fri, 26 Sep 2003 14:45:43 -0400
>From: "Marge Talt" <mtalt@hort.net>
>Subject: Re: Hydrangea macrophylla 'pink beauty'
>
>Barbara, all H. macraphyllas are really considered hardy only to USDA
>z 6.  The actual plant will survive colder temperatures and come back
>from the roots, but the flower buds won't.  I even lose flowers on
>this species in my USDA z 7 garden after really hard winters or late
>spring frosts.  The reason you're only getting flowers where leaves
>cover the plant stems is that only there are the flower buds
>protected enough not to freeze.  
>
>All this species bloom on old wood.
>
>Since protected stems do seem to have flower bud survival for you,
>you might try erecting a burlap fence around the plant and stuffing
>it with dry leaves for winter to protect buds farther up on the stem.
> Wait until it has defoliated for winter - like you've had a couple
>of hard frosts - and then do it.  Just hammer in wood garden stakes
>around the plant, just outside of it, and staple burlap to them.  You
>can usually buy burlap by the roll at DIY centers.  Try this before
>you give up the plant and see if it works.
>
>The location where you have it is probably OK because you don't want
>to put it where it will be subject to early morning sun near a house
>foundation - that just causes the stems to lose their anti-freeze
>when they heat up and then they can't get it back fast enough when
>night falls and it gets cold again.
>
>Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
>mtalt@hort.net
>Editor:  Gardening in Shade


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