Nothing says summer like hydrangeas, but for gardeners in colder zones they can be frustrating, with lots of leaves and not much bloom. If that sounds like your experience, or you are hesitating about growing them, then relax. The Fuchsia Glow™ Hydrangea is a reliable re-blooming variety that has a profusion of blooms in late spring in warmer areas, and lots of blooms from mid-summer into fall everywhere, including in zones 4 and 5, where hydrangeas can be unreliable. This compact bush is the perfect answer for all those partially-shaded parts of your garden, or along a north-facing wall. Now your garden will be full of flowers, starting with all your spring shrubs, but then moving on the big, bold heads of pink blooms from this great hydrangea. It is compact enough to work perfectly in planters and pots too, so relax and enjoy a blooming summer – wherever you garden.

Growing the Fuchsia Glow™ Hydrangea

Size and Appearance

The Fuchsia Glow™ Hydrangea is a deciduous shrub, which grows vigorously into a multi-branching rounded bush between 2 and 4 feet tall and wide, possibly reaching 5 feet in mild climates after some years. The thick stems have a light-brown peeling bark which gives interesting character in the winter months. The leaves are large and rounded, up to 6 inches long and wide, with a distinctive crinkled leathery texture. The edges are serrated and they are a bold emerald green – so attractive that even without flowers this is a handsome bush.

Flower heads develop on both older stems, blooming in spring and early summer, and on new stems, blooming in late summer and into fall. The flower heads are full and large, about 8 inches across and dome shaped. The individual flowers are also large, 1 to 1½ inches wide, with 4 overlapping petals making a round bloom. There are upwards of 50 flowers in the head, filling it completely and making a dense, solid bloom that really stands out. The blossoms begin pale green in bud and then, as they expand, they take on a vibrant rich-pink coloring that lasts and lasts for weeks. The pink color is richest and clearest in soils with a pH of 6.0 or more. In acidic soils the coloring may be more purple-pink.

Using the Fuchsia Glow™ Hydrangea in Your Garden

The versatile shrub can be used to add color and late-season interest anywhere in your garden. Grow it among evergreens around the house, or out in garden beds. Plant it along a driveway, or by a pond. Grow it in a tub or planter. Need color? Plant the Fuchsia Glow Hydrangea – it’s that simple.

Hardiness

Because it blooms on new stems, the Fuchsia Glow Hydrangea will bloom well even in zone 4, where the stems will probably be damaged by winter cold, and early blooms will not be seen often. Those late blooms are incredibly valuable in colder zones, and this great plant is wonderful for those who garden with colder winters. From zone 6 you will have early blooms and late ones too.

Sun Exposure and Soil Conditions

Some morning sun is perfect for the Fuchsia Glow Hydrangea. If the soil is moist it will thrive in full sun in cool zones, but afternoon shade is best in hotter areas. It will also grow in light full shade, such as on the north side of a building, or anywhere in shade where there is clear sky overhead. The best soil is rich, moist and well-drained. Unlike blue hydrangeas, which need acid soil, this plant will look great in neutral and alkaline soils – and pink is such a wonderful garden color to bring joy.

Maintenance and Pruning

Pests and diseases are rarely seen, and the Fuchsia Glow Hydrangea is usually trouble-free. Enrich the soil before planting with organic material like compost, and use it as mulch in spring. Feed regularly with hydrangea food, or fertilizer for flowering shrubs, especially when you are growing in tubs. Regular feeding will make a huge difference. Prune in spring, once you see the buds swelling. Remove any dead branches, trimming back to strong sprouting buds. Avoid removing or shortening healthy branches, as these contain the early blooms. Don’t trim the new branches that sprout, or they won’t develop flowers. Older bushes can have a few old branches removed or cut back hard, to keep the plant open and to encourage vigorous growth.

History and Origin of the Fuchsia Glow™ Hydrangea

The arrival of the mophead hydrangea, Hydrangea macrophylla, about 150 years ago, from China and Japan, was headline news among gardeners of the time. At first it was an exotic novelty, but soon it became a garden standard. The plants brought back were not wild bushes, which have tiny green flowers. They were the result of hundreds of years of selection by Asian gardeners to develop plants with large, colorful blooms. Since then the hydrangea has been developed into many color forms.

When the Endless Summer Hydrangea (‘Bailmer’), developed by the plant expert Michael Dirr, arrived on the scene in 2004, we saw the beginning of re-blooming plants. Traditional hydrangeas only bloomed on buds carried through the winter, but Dirr’s bush bloomed on new growth too. It extended the hydrangea season in warmer areas, and for the first time made it possible for gardeners in cool zones to enjoy colored hydrangeas. Since then there have been many re-blooming varieties developed, but none with the vigorous and profusion of late blooms you see on the variety called ‘Grefuglo’. This remarkable bush was released in 2015 by the team at Greenleaf Nursery, who have applied for a patent on their plant. It is released under their Garden Debut™ brand, with the trademark name of Fuchsia Glow™.

Buying the Fuchsia Glow™ Hydrangea at the Tree Center

It is such a pleasure to make available to our clients great plants like this one. We know you will love the endless parade of big, bright-pink blooms it will bring to your garden. But order now, because we wouldn’t want you to miss out on the action, and these plants are already running low – they will soon all be gone.