|
Share
your experiences and make comments on this plant
Introduction Date:
Spring ’07 to growers, Retail in 2008
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 5
Bloom Time:
Summer
Bloom Color:
Ages to shades of rich pink, but lavender purple in acidic soils.
Foliage Color:
dark green
Size:
3-5 feet
Exposure:
Full sun to partial shade
Soil:
Well-drained soil that has been amended with peat moss, leaf mold or
compost.
Pruning:
Pink
Shira
forms its flower buds in later summer and then flowers in
late June. The best time to prune is it after it blooms,
from mid-July to mid-August. Cease pruning in mid-august to
allow time for the flower buds to form prior to winter.
As a
young plant it is best to prune or pinch your plant in order
to build a full bodied, well branched plant. If the plant
is leggy when you purchased it, shear the plant back hard by
1/3 to 1/2 its original size. Once it puts on an inch or
two of growth, pinch the branch tips to remove just the
growing tip. This tip controls branching. Once it is
removed the buds below it will turn into stems. Once these
new branches grow an inch or two, pinch the tip out again.
You can repeat this throughout the first growing season as
you are tending your garden. Although you will sacrifice
one year of bloom, this technique results in a well
branched, full bodied plant that will have more flowers in
subsequent years. The second season in the ground, repeat
the pinching practice (or lightly shear) up until
mid-August. Cease pruning and pinching to allow the flower
buds to set.
Watering:
High moisture. Moisture is a necessity of this plant.
Wildlife:
None
Type:
Deciduous
Fertilizing:
Fertilize in early spring by applying a slow release fertilizer
specialized for trees & shrubs. Follow the label for recommended rate of
application. Flower color is affected by pH. For blue flowers, the soil
must be more acidic and for pink flowers, the soil must be more
alkaline.
Uses:
Groupings or masses,
perennial or shrub borders, specimen, screens or hedges, mixed
container, cut flowers.
Breeder:
Tony Thompson of Kingston Spring, TN
A standout hydrangea noted for its compact growth, strong stems and
reliable long-lasting blooms. Flowers emerge green and become infused
with red and then transform to shades of rich pink. Acid soils deliver
tones of lavender purple. Discovered by cut flower grower Tony Thompson
of Kingston Spring, TN after watching it bloom for eight years straight.
In that time it bloomed even when other varieties were damaged by
frost. The propagation of, and or the sale of plant parts is prohibited
without a license. Patent/trademark tag required.
Coming soon
|