NEW HYDRANGEA 2024 INTRODUCTIONS

I am patiently (??) waiting for the snow to melt and have begun to consider where I can put some of the new hydrangea introductions that will be showing up in a few short months. As you might expect, there are dozens of them.

Big Leaf Hydrangeas

Two new Hydrangea macrophylla (big leaf) varieties could be in your local garden center: Let’s Dance® Lovable™ and Let’s Dance® Skyview™. Both are about the same size at 3’x4’ and are rebloomers. The difference is Lovable™ can deliver either pink or blue flowers (depending on pH) while Sky View’s flowers come in soft pastel colors. Sky View™ is also rated for zone 4 whereas Lovable™ holds a zone 5 rating.

This photo shows the difference between these 2 new Let’s Dance intros

The big leaf hydrangea you’ll probably see more frequently is Eclipse®. This plant has intense dark foliage and cranberry-colored flowers on a compact plant. It is a show stopper.

Big leaf hydrangea ‘Eclipse’ has very dark leaves and cranberry colored flowers

Cloud Nine™ is the last of the bigleaf hydrangeas I want you to know about. Very similar to Fairtyrail Bride™, this hybrid develops its lacecap flowers up and down each stem in a cascade-like profusion of delicate white hues.

Hydrangea hybrid ‘Cloud Nine’ shows its beautiful cascading lacecap flowers

Oak Leaf Introductions

If you want a new oak leaf hydrangea, look for Autumn Reprise™ or Li’l Annie™. Autumn Reprise™ is being advertised as a reblooming variety which would be a first among Hydrangea quercifolia varieties. Li’l Annie™ on the other hand is a smaller plant with increased foliar disease resistance.

Oakleaf hydrangea ‘Autumn Reprise’

Foolproof Hydrangeas: Arborescens

In terms of foolproof hydrangeas, look no further than woodland (arborescens) varieties. The newest addition is ‘Eco Pink Puff’. This is a sizable plant with large pink lacecap flowers that pollinators love as the pollen is readily available.

Woodland hydrangea ‘Eco Pink Puff’

Foolproof Hydrangeas: Panicles

The other family of foolproof hydrangeas are the panicles. Just like the woodlands, these flower on new wood so no amount of winter weather or crazy pruning will stop those flowers. Breeders caught on to this characteristic several years ago and we are now seeing the result of that focus. Hydrangea paniculata Worry Free® Ruby Snow is one such introduction. It’s relatively compact at 3-4’ high and wide and its flowers turn a deep ruby red as they age.

Panicle hydrangea ‘Worry Free Ruby Snow’

Its competition will be Hydrangea paniculata Sweet Starlight™ which ages to a dark antique pink. The transition of color from white to light pink to dark antique pink livens up the garden as the season progresses.

Panicle hydrangea ‘Sweet Starlight’

An earlier blooming panicle hydrangea is Pink Shades™. Like many panicle hydrangeas, its white flowers age to a soft pink. It’s rated to zone 4. Expect it to grow to about 4-5’ high and wide.

Panicle hydrangea ‘Pink Shades’

Puffer Fish® is about the same size but these flowers age to a soft pink. Its distinguishing characteristic is its stronger stems, a feature I would greatly appreciate.

Panicle hydrangea ‘Puffer Fish’

Candy Apple™ panicle hydrangea is a little bigger and ages to a pure white on strong stems.

Panicle hydrangea ‘Candy Apple’

The tiny panicle hydrangea for this year is ‘Early Evolution’. It comes in at 18-24 inches which is perfect as a container plant, not to mention a good replacement for a perennial that gives out.

Panicle hydrangea ‘Early Evolution’

Which One Should You Get

No doubt there are several other new hydrangeas that will magically appear at garden centers this year. Regardless of which ones you buy, I am sure you will be pleased with their flower power and reliability. They are getting better every season!

UPCOMING SPEAKING DATES

Audience listening to speaker

Bookings for this year have been brisk. I am scheduling Zoom/virtual talks as well as in person presentations. If you or someone in your organization wants to discuss these possibilities, use the “Contact Me” tab on my site. Note that I speak on other than hydrangeas, but that topic never gets old, especially after last season!

March 5: “Shrubs, The New Perennial.” Library, Rye, NY,  Rye Free Reading Room 1061 Boston Post Road, Rye, NY.  Program starts at 10:30. Free.

March 7: “Success with Hydrangeas.” Rowayton Community Center, 33 Highland Avenue, Norwalk CT. Program starts at 10:30. Free.

March 10: “Success with Hydrangeas.” Wellesley Public Library, 530 Washington St, Wellesley, MA. Wacklin Room. Program starts at 1:15. Free.

March 14: “Success with Hydrangeas.” Berlin-Peck Memorial Library, Zoom/virtual Program starts at 7 p.m. Email Carrie Tyszka (ctyszka@berlinpeck.org) to register. Free.

March 16: “Foolproof Hydrangeas.” New York Botanical Garden, Zoom/virtual, class #243Gar2550, 11.30-2.30 P.M. Fee based.

March 17: I’ll be a guest at the 31st Annual Western New England Home Show at the O’Neill Center Western Connecticut State University 201 University Blvd, Danbury, CT 06811. The show hours are 11-4 p.m. Look for me on the vendor floor where I will be available to answer your hydrangea questions (and, of course, selling my book). Look for discount admission coupons in your local papers. 

My best selling hydrangea book will be available for purchase at all live events. A signed copy makes a great gift for you or another hydrangea lover. And, you can always order one from this site anytime.

Best selling “Success With Hydrangeas” book

Tell/bring your friends to any of the above. I look forward to meeting you!

Thanks for reading.