Panicle Hydrangea 'Wim's Red'

Panicle Hydrangea 'Wim's Red' (Hydrangea paniculata 'Wim's Red') changes colour all summer long. Its conical panicles, up to 30 cm long, open white, turn pink by degrees, and by autumn deepen to a rich wine-red: over one season a single shrub manages to be three different plants.

It flowers from June to September, so it keeps the bed in shape for almost the whole summer. The strong branching shoots do not flop in the rain, and in ten years the shrub reaches 1.5-2.5 m in height and width. What sets it apart from plain white panicle hydrangeas is that burgundy finale and the reddish stems.

Key characteristics:

• What makes it special: The shoots stay reddish from spring through autumn, so the shrub looks smart even before the panicles appear.
• Dimensions: 1.5-2.5 m tall and 1.5-2.5 m wide at 10 years.
• Hardiness: Hardy down to -40 °C (USDA zone 3).
• Flowering: From June to September it carries conical panicles up to 30 cm: white at first, then pink, and wine-red in autumn.
• Light: Best in partial shade; full sun works only where the soil stays reliably moist.
• Soil: Moist but well-drained loam, clay or sand of acid to neutral reaction.
• Watering: Water regularly: the soil should stay reliably moist, especially in a sunny position.
• Care: Pruning is simple (group 4): cut last year's shoots back hard in early spring.
• Landscape use: City and courtyard gardens, cottage and informal borders; handsome both as a specimen and in groups.