Hydrangea paniculata and cultivars


Pinky Winky™ and ‘Limelight’.

In the season come the paniculata types. These produce conical flowers that have traditionally been white aging into salmon. The new kids on the block in this species are some really excellent plants — ‘Limelight’, Pinky Winky™ and now ‘Vanilla Strawberry’. ‘Limelight’ has tightly packed flower heads with a lime-green cast; hence the name. I’ve seen it growing in partial shade where it was 5 to 6 feet tall. I have a couple Pinky Winky™ cultivars. While I get embarrassed every time I say the name, frankly this is one excellent plant. Strong stems, reliable long-lasting bloom and good for drying. Flowers start out white and change into various shades of pink and rose. Then there’s ‘Vanilla Strawberry’, also from Bailey Nursery. When I saw the PR photo of this one, I fell in love. I’m a sucker for pink, and the photo showed the loveliest sweet pink ever. Now mine is blooming for the first time and I am eager to see what happens. The flowers are white at the moment, but little blushes of pink are starting to emerge. Its stems aren’t as thick and upright as those of the other two, but my plant is also in a bit of shade, and so far the stems are strong enough.

‘Vanilla Strawberry’ Photo Courtesy of Bailey Nurseries

These are all excellent plants for our region. Note that the macrophylla types are water hogs, so you need to keep an eye on them during heat and drought, but if you love the flowers, you won’t grumble about meeting their demands.

—Carolyn Ulrich