Re: Hydrangea macrophylla 'pink beauty'

Well, Mike, I think that unless you know something I don't, saying
that my statement that all H. macs set flower buds on old wood is
'not true' is a bit misleading.  

So, which cultivars of H. macrophylla set flower buds on new wood? 
Are you talking about the others Dirr has in the pipeline?  He's
calling these 'perpetual flowering' and does not say that they set
flower buds on new wood; he says they set them all down the stem,
rather than only at the tips as most H. macs do, so that some are
bound to open if the tip ones get killed.  My impression is that the
buds are set on old wood but are more frost hardy than most, plus
there are more of them.  My take, from reading about these plants, is
that they are strains that are simply proving to be more cold hardy
than most with more flower buds being set.

'Endless Summer' is very new and while Dirr and others have tested
it, it has not been tested in gardens around the US.  I have known
about this one for a while, but hesitate to say it will pass muster
until I've heard from people growing it - if, of course, you can find
it; think it just came on market this year:-)

If you know different, please share your facts.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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----------
> From: treelover3 <treelover3@netscape.net>
> 
> 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
> 
>
--------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >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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