The spectacular panicle hydrangea paves the way for even debutants among hobby gardeners into the flower-rich world of hydrangeas. No other type of hydrangea is more undemanding and flexible in cultivation. If care has been a mystery to you so far, discover the answer here.
When does the panicle hydrangea bloom and how do you care for it?
The panicle hydrangea is an easy-care plant that blooms from July to September. It prefers a sunny to partially shaded location, nutrient-rich and humus-rich soil. The planting time is in spring and pruning should take place in March. Water and fertilize regularly for optimal results.
Planting panicle hydrangea correctly
If spring is just around the corner, it's the best time to plant a panicle hydrangea. The earth has thawed completely and there is no longer any danger of ground frost. Before you start preparing the soil in the bed, place the root ball in a container with lime-free water. How to plant a panicle hydrangea professionally:
- Dig a pit with twice the volume of the root ball in a sunny to partially shaded spot
- Enrich the excavation with ericaceous soil, compost and horn meal
- Unpot the young plant, plant it in the middle and water it
- Mulching with leaves, grass clippings, needle compost or bark mulch
When planting, keep an eye on the soil mark on the root neck and do not plant the panicle hydrangea deeper than in the nursery pot. The planting process is similar in the pot, with additional drainage made of clay shards at the bottom of the pot to prevent harmful waterlogging.read more
Care tips
The key cornerstones of proper care are: water and nutrient balance, pruning and overwintering. Pay special attention to these aspects:
- Keep panicle hydrangea evenly moist with lime-free water
- Fertilize carefully from March to September
- Protect the bed from frost and snow
- Potted plants should preferably be hibernated brightly and frost-free at 5 degrees Celsius
- Carry out pruning in March, in time for the new shoots
The outstanding difference to the popular farmer's hydrangea is the ability to bloom on this year's wood. The more courageous the spring pruning is, the more lush the flowers will be in summer and autumn.
Which location is suitable?
The panicle hydrangea feels comfortable in a bright, sunny to partially shaded location. If you assign the flowering tree a spot in full sun, a constant supply of water should be ensured. In shady locations the flowers are rather puny.read more
The correct planting distance
The panicle hydrangea not only impresses with its voluminous abundance of flowers, but also develops an expansive habit. You can take this into account by planting a distance of at least half the growth width. To clarify, a few examples:
- Little Lime: growth height 120 cm – growth width 150 cm – recommended planting distance 75 cm
- Mega Mindy: growth height 175 cm – growth width 130 cm – recommended planting distance 65 cm
- Bobo: growth height 90 cm – growth width 70 cm – recommended planting distance 35 cm
What soil does the plant need?
So that the panicle hydrangea shows what flower power it has, the soil should be like this:
- Nutritional, humic and fresh and moist
- Permeable, loose and without risk of waterlogging
- Limescale-free, ideally with a pH value of 5.5 to 6.0
What is the best time to plant?
The planting season begins in spring from March. The exact date is determined by the weather, because if there is persistent frost or delayed ground frost, it is better to wait. Regardless of its winter hardiness in later years, the Hydrangea paniculata is still sensitive to frost in the year it is planted.
When is flowering time?
The flowering period of a panicle hydrangea reaches its peak when most of the ornamental plants have faded and are preparing for the cold season. The central flowering period extends from July to September. However, some varieties have the potential to bloom earlier or later. For example, combine these panicle hydrangeas to enjoy the splendor of flowers from June to October/November:
- Dharuma: June to August
- Limelight: July to September
- Pinky Winky: August to October/November
read more
Cut panicle hydrangea correctly
The panicle hydrangea blooms on this year's shoots, which makes it one of the most pruning-tolerant hydrangeas. This goes hand in hand with the need to use scissors every year in early spring. Otherwise, the gem will gradually lose its shape and age from the inside out. How to cut correctly:
- Cut in March, on an overcast, frost-free day
- Short shoots by up to 50 percent
- Make each cut just above an outward-facing bud
- The more vigorous the pruning, the more lush the flower
At the same time, thin out the flowering bush thoroughly. Cut dead wood or stunted branches at the base.read more
Watering panicle hydrangea
The panicle hydrangea evaporates a lot of moisture every day through its powerful leaves and flowers. Therefore, check the surface of the substrate every morning. If the top 2-3 centimeters feel dry, water. During hot summer days, this may be necessary in the morning and evening hours. Use predominantly soft rainwater or stale tap water.
Fertilize panicle hydrangea properly
You can either cover the nutrient requirements with organic fertilizer, such as leaf compost, guano, horn shavings and coffee grounds, or use a special hydrangea fertilizer (€8.00 at Amazon) from specialist retailers. While the administration of natural fertilizer extends every 2 weeks from March to September, a single dose in March is sufficient for long-term fertilizers, such as Substral Osmocot rhododendron and hydrangea fertilizer.read more
Wintering
Regardless of their natural winter hardiness, we recommend the following protective measures:
- Cover the root area with leaves, straw, needle sticks
- Protect the branches with reed mats or jute ribbons
- Wrap large buckets with bubble wrap and place on wood
- Carry smaller pots into frost-free, bright winter quarters
- If there is a clear frost, water a little on mild days
Pay particular attention to the winter protection of a young panicle hydrangea in the first few years, because it still has to develop its frost hardiness. Cover the entire plant with jute or breathable garden fleece.
Propagate panicle hydrangea
The propagation of panicle hydrangeas is easy using cuttings. During the flowering period, cut he althy, non-flowering shoots 10-15 cm long. The lower half is defoliated, except for the upper pair of leaves. How to proceed:
- Fill small pots with a mix of peat and sand
- Plant two-thirds of each cutting in each
- Pour preferably from below with lime-free, lukewarm water
If kept constantly moist in a partially shaded location behind glass at 15-18 degrees Celsius, rooting progresses quickly.read more
How do I transplant correctly?
Spring and late autumn can be considered as dates for a transplanting campaign. Prick off the root ball all over 2 weeks beforehand and water the panicle hydrangea thoroughly so that numerous fine roots can develop. Pruning compensates for the loss of root volume. On the day itself, loosen the root ball with the digging fork and then lift it out of the ground. At the new location, the planting pit should already be prepared so that the hydrangea can be replanted without delay.read more
Pranicle hydrangea in pot
For a panicle hydrangea to thrive in a pot, there should be a minimum volume of 30 liters. Although the flowering shrub requires plenty of water, harmful waterlogging should be prevented when planting. Therefore, cover the water drain with shards of pottery before adding peat soil as a substrate. How to care for a potted hydrangea:
- Watere regularly with soft water
- Provide liquid fertilizer for hydrangeas from March to the beginning of September
- Winter bright and frost-free at 4-6 degrees Celsius
- Cut and repot in spring
Pranicle hydrangea not blooming
If a panicle hydrangea does not bloom, this deficiency results from various reasons. The most common causes and countermeasures at a glance:
- Wrong pruning: carry out the central pruning in March, before budding
- Unsuitable location: choose a sunny to semi-shady location
- Nutrient deficiency: fertilize organically or mineral-organically from March to September
- Overfertilization: administer mineral fertilizer exactly according to the dosage instructions
read more
How do I train the panicle hydrangea to become a standard stem
A young plant offers the best chance of success with standard training. Changing the habit is also possible with older panicle hydrangeas. This is how the procedure works in the first few years:
- In the fall of the planting year, choose a strong shoot for the trunk and support it with a stick
- Cut off all other ground shoots
- Remove the branches on the trunk up to the desired crown height
In the following years, guide the main shoot along the rod to the desired height. Only cut off the tip when no further height growth is desired. Then shape the crown every spring by shortening new shoots on the sides to achieve bushy branching.read more
How do I properly care for the Limelight panicle hydrangea?
As a superlative panicle hydrangea, Limelight scores with lime green flowers up to 30 cm in size, which gradually change to white. In order to extract its concentrated beauty from this premium variety, these details are important:
- Sunny location with fresh, moist soil, rich in nutrients
- Lime-free substrate with a pH value of 5.5 to 6.0
- Water abundantly and regularly, in full sun up to twice a day
- Fertilize starting in March until the beginning of September
- You can choose to fertilize organically every 2 weeks or apply a long-term fertilizer for hydrangeas in March
If you find the withered flowers visually detrimental in autumn, cut them out. Of course, you only carry out the central pruning in March to the beginning of April. There is nothing wrong with shortening the shoots to 20 centimeters; This year's blooms are all the more lush.
The most beautiful varieties
- Sundae Fraise: the cone flowers are reminiscent of a strawberry ice cream cone and exude a similar scent
- Diamant Rouge: exudes a firework of colors in white and pink, which changes to rich crimson red in autumn
- Pinky Winky: spectacular with two-tone flowers that change from creamy white to delicate pink as they fade
- Vanille Fraise: performs a flower miracle similar to Pinky Winky and scores with a more compact habit
- Bobo: white-flowering dwarf with huge flowers; Thanks to its height of 90 cm, it is the ideal candidate for the bucket
- Little Lime: little sister of the premium variety Limelight with a delicate silhouette and lime green, later white flowers
