Dragon Baby™ Hydrangea

Panicle hydrangeas are the way to go when you garden in cooler zones, or when you have too much sun exposure for mopheads. They are often large bushes, but the Dragon Baby™ Panicle Hydrangea is tough but small, standing no more than 3 feet tall and wide in full bloom. Perfect for smaller beds, smaller gardens and courtyards, and for container growing too, the full-sized panicles stand upright, resisting weather-damage, and in early summer they are a delicious creamy-white with lime-green overtones, and then change to deep pink as cooler fall weather arrives. In showy bloom for months and months, this great plant packs more flower-power per square foot than any other shrub around. Very hardy to minus 40; sun tolerant; not demanding for water, and super-easy to grow – what’s not to like with this baby?

• Compact shrub for smaller gardens, small spaces and containers
• Big, upright flower heads look great from early summer into the fall
• Flowers are creamy-white with lime overtones and then turn dark pink
• More tolerant of sun and dryness than mophead hydrangeas
• Hardy to minus 40, ideal for gardens in colder zones

Plant your Dragon Baby™ Panicle Hydrangea in a spot with morning sun, or in full sun in colder zones – it needs more sun than mophead hydrangeas do. Grow it in any well-drained soil that isn’t too dry – improve water retention by digging in compost and adding a layer of mulch. Water regularly the first season – after that it is tolerant of normal dry periods, but appreciates a summer soaking. Not eaten by deer and untroubled by pests or diseases, some spring shrub fertilizer is helpful. Prune in early spring as the buds are swelling, removing weak, twiggy stems to leave a framework of stronger growth. Cut back stems of the previous year by half, just above a pair of healthy buds – flowers develop on new growths, so any winter damage isn’t a problem.