Dense, rounded white panicles open in early to midsummer on this dwarf panicle hydrangea and turn a deep pomegranate red by fall. Hydrangea paniculata Fire Light Tidbit® 'SMNHPK' holds at 2 to 3 feet tall and wide in full sun to part sun, hardy from Zone 3 through Zone 8.
The flower heads are large in proportion to the plant, carrying the strong red of the Fire Light line at a fraction of the size.
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 holds a tidy mounded shape without pruning, which makes it a good container plant, a front-of-border filler, or a low mass planting.
Size at Maturity
Height 2-3 ft Width 2-3 ft
Growing Zone
USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8
Lowest Temperatures -40°F to -30°F
Light Requirements
Full sun to part sun- at least 4 hours direct sun per day
How to Plant
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