Little Quick Fire® Panicle Hydrangea

Narrow, open white panicles appear in early summer on this compact panicle hydrangea, roughly a month ahead of most panicles, then turn pink from the base upward. Hydrangea paniculata Little Quick Fire® 'SMHPLQF' holds at 3 to 5 feet tall and wide in full sun to part sun, hardy from Zone 3 through Zone 9. The open panicles give the plant a lighter look than the big-headed selections, and with the early start the pink phase runs long, so by fall the whole plant has turned. Panicle hydrangea, Hydrangea paniculata, takes more sun than any other common hydrangea and flowers on new wood from midsummer into fall. Buds form in spring on the current year's growth, so a hard winter or a late frost does not cost it a season of bloom, and soil pH has no effect on the color. Most panicle hydrangeas open white or green and age to pink or red. That change is driven by cool nights, so northern gardens color up strongly while warmer southern gardens tend to hold cream and soft blush instead. Cut back by about a third in late winter or early spring. Panicle hydrangeas take average soil as long as it drains, and once established they handle dry spells better than the other hydrangea groups. It is small enough for a foundation planting, a mixed border, or a large container.