| Content |  Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice'
Ruby Spice Summersweet
Summersweet, is a deciduous shrub that is native to swampy woodlands, wet marshes, stream banks and seashores, often in sandy soils, along the coast from Maine to Florida and west to Texas. It is a rounded, suckering, densely-branched, deciduous shrub that typically grows to 3-6’ tall and is noted for producing a mid to late summer bloom of sweetly fragrant pink flowers which appear in narrow, upright panicles (racemes to 2-6" long). Flowers give way to dark brown seed capsules (1/8" diameter) which may persist into winter. Serrate, obovate to oblong, glossy dark green leaves (to 3-4” long) turn variable but generally attractive shades of yellow to golden brown in fall. Flowers are very attractive to butterflies and bees.
Zone: 4 to 8
Height: 4.00 to 6.00 feet
Spread: 3.00 to 5.00 feet
Bloom Time: July to August
Bloom Description: Rose pink
Sun: Full sun to part shade
Water: Medium to wet
Maintenance: Low
Suggested Use: Hedge, Naturalize, Rain Garden
Flower: Showy, Fragrant
Leaf: Good Fall
Attracts: Butterflies
Tolerate: Heavy Shade, Erosion, Clay Soil, Wet Soil |  Fire Light® is the standard to measure all panicle hydrangeas! We developed this easy-to-grow, reliable panicle hydrangea in Michigan, selecting it for its huge, full flower heads and sturdy, strong stems. Blooms emerge creamy-white and age to a vivid red for lots of summer color. It makes a great cut flower, fresh or dried, and can be used as a hedge, specimen, or incorporated into flower gardens and foundation plantings.
Top three reasons to grow Fire Light® hydrangea:
-
- Exceptionally hardy, growing and flowering well even in chilly zone 3
- large flowers age to red early in the summer for a colorful display
- low-maintenance and easy to grow – the perfect plant for “black thumbs.”
Characteristics
Duration: Shrub
Shrub Type: Deciduous
Height Category: Medium
Garden Height: 54 – 72 Inches
Spacing: 54 – 72 Inches
Spread: 54 – 72 Inches
Flower Colors: Pink
Flower Colors: Red
Flower Colors: White
Flower Shade: White changing to pink-red
Foliage Colors: Green
Foliage Shade: green
Habit: Upright
Container Role: Thriller
Plant Needs
Light Requirement: Part Sun to Sun
Maintenance Category: Easy
Blooms On: New Wood
Bloom Time: Early Summer
Bloom Time: Mid Summer
Bloom Time: Late Summer
Hardiness Zones: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Water Category: Average
Uses: Border Plant
Uses: Container
Uses: Cut Flower
Uses: Dried Flower
Uses: Good for Screening
Uses: Landscape
Uses: Mass Planting
Uses: Specimen or Focal Point
Maintenance Notes: Panicle hydrangeas are best pruned in late fall or early spring. Cut the branches back by about one-third their total length. This plant tolerates a wide range of conditions, but does not grow well in soggy soil. Plant in full sun in zones 3-7; afternoon shade is preferable in warmer areas. A good 2-3″ (5-7.6 cm) layer of shredded bark mulch over the roots is very beneficial.
If desired, fertilize in early spring with a granular fertilizer formulated for woody plants, like a rose fertilizer. |
 Features
The first to bloom!
Quick Fire® hydrangea blooms about a month before any other panicle hydrangea – usually by 4th of July in our West Michigan trial gardens. Flowers open pure white then turn pink, and will be an extremely dark rosy-pink in the fall. The flower color on Quick Fire hydrangea is not affected by soil pH. Blooms on this super-hardy and easy to grow hydrangea are produced on new wood, which means that you will see flowers even after even the harshest winters. Beautiful for use as a cut (fresh or dried) flower. Unlike other panicle hydrangeas, Quick Fire also has excellent fall foliage color for a final hurrah before winter.
Top reasons to grow Quick Fire® hydrangea:
– the earliest blooming panicle hydrangea – gives you months and months of blooms.
– excellent fall color – blooms turn deep red, leaves turn gold and burgundy.
– lacecap variety attracts pollinators.
Deadheading Not Necessary
Characteristics
Garden Height: 72 – 96 Inches
Flower Shade: White changing to pink
Plant Needs
Light Requirement: Part Sun to Sun
Maintenance Category: Easy
Hardiness Zones: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b
Uses Notes:
A very hardy flowering shrub good for full sun locations – the hotter your climate, however, the more shade the plant will require. Perfect for a mixed container. Good for groupings and in mass plantings, shrub and perennial borders, as a specimen, a screen or a hedge.
Maintenance Notes:
Panicle hydrangeas like Quick Fire are very easy to care for. They can grow in most soils, provided they are well-drained.
Panicle hydrangeas bloom on new wood, which means they can be pruned in spring and will still bloom that season. We recommend cutting them back by about one-third their total height in early spring, just as the new growth is beginning to emerge on the stems. This will serve to remove the spent blooms and ensure that the season’s growth comes from the heavier, thicker buds further down the plant.
If blooms do not age to pink and red, this indicates that the plant is either in too much shade, that it experienced drought stress, or that night time temperatures were unusually high.
Quick Fire® Hydrangea paniculata ‘Bulk’ USPP 16,812, Can 3,398
|  The enormous flower heads are a blend of vanilla and strawberry, held upright on red stems. Flowers emerge creamy white in mid-summer, change to pink as the night temperatures drop and finally turn strawberry red. New blooms emerge as older blooms change color, giving the plant a multicolored effect in late summer and early fall. The red coloring lasts at least 3-4 weeks. Plants grow upright, and then cascade later in the season. Excellent for fresh cut and dried flower arrangements. |
 Features
Loads of flowers on a tiny plant!
This dwarf panicle hydrangea will turn heads! Bobo ® hydrangea is engulfed by large white flowers in summer. The flowers are held upright on strong stems, and continue to grow and lengthen as they bloom. No flopping, unlike some panicle hydrangeas! As blooms age, they turn pink.
It is compact and dwarf in habit, and the flowers cover every inch of the plant right down to the ground. This plant was developed by Johan Van Huylenbroeck, the same breeder that developed Pinky Winky ® hydrangea.
Characteristics
Duration: Shrub
Shrub Type: Deciduous
Height Category: Medium
Garden Height: 30 – 36 Inches
Spacing: 48 – 60 Inches
Spread: 36 – 48 Inches
Flower Colors: Pink
Flower Colors: White
Flower Shade: White summer flowers turn pink in autumn
Foliage Colors: Green
Foliage Shade: green
Habit: Mounded
Container Role: Thriller
Plant Needs
Light Requirement: Part Sun to Sun
Maintenance Category: Easy
Blooms On: New Wood
Bloom Time: Early Summer
Bloom Time: Mid Summer
Bloom Time: Late Summer
Bloom Time: Early Fall
Hardiness Zones: 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a
Water Category: Average
Uses: Container
Uses: Landscape
Maintenance Notes: Prefers good, loamy soil. Adaptable to many soils, moderate moisture required. Blooms regardless of climate, soil, pH or pruning. Prune in late winter/early spring. Fertilize in early spring by applying a slow release fertilizer specialized for trees and shrubs. Follow the label recommendations for rates of application.
Bobo® Hydrangea paniculata ‘ILVOBO’ USPP 22,782, Can 4,910
|  Hydrangea macrophylla 'McKRed'
Grateful Red Hydrangea
A McKay Nursery Introduction! A unique, unusual red flowering Hydrangea macrophylla that blooms on new wood. A hardy plant that prefers the east side of a house or building where there is protection from afternoon heat. Maintain even moisture for best results. Here in WI, this plant gets to about 2-3' tall. Mulch well in fall and cut back any dead tips in spring for best results. Mop head flowers are red, but in acidic soils are purplish. The blooms age to a lavender and the foliage has an incredible burgundy coloration. This is a very unique colored Hydrangea flower.
Growing Zones 4-9
Bloom Color: Green to deep red that turns lavender
Bloom Period: Summer to fall
Fall Color: Orange with hints of red and yellow
Foliage Color: Green with light green branches
Growth Rate: Slow
Mature Height:2 to 3 ft.
Mature Spread:2 to 3 ft.
Soil Type: Well drained soil; that retains moisture well.
Sun Exposure: Part sun to part shade |
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.