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Mophead-hydrangea
Interesting Facts

Hydrangea are endemic to the woodlands of Eastern Asia and North and South America.

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Mophead Hydrangea   Pink Shira™ (Hydrangea macrophylla)

Compact Large beautiful mophead flowers Pink or purple depending on soil acidity

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Plant Types: Perennial, Shrub
Light: Shade to Full Sun
Height: 3 feet to 5 feet
Width: 3 feet to 5 feet
Zones: 5 to 9
Bloom Color: Pink
Bloom Seasons: Early summer, Mid summer, Late summer, Early fall, Mid fall, Late fall
Leaf Color: Green
Shape: Upright or erect
Fertilizer: Miracle-Gro® Nursery Select Miracid® Water Soluble Plant Food, Chelated Iron
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Plant Care
Planting:
Dig a hole one foot wider and about as deep as the plant's rootball. Do not plant too deep. Roots should be visible at the surface of the soil and the top of the rootball should be even with the surrounding soil. In clay soil, the rootball should be slightly higher.
Remove plants from their containers. Place plants in hole. Loosen roots by making four or five slashes, about one-inch deep vertically down the rootball with a knife. Then tease the roots out so they will grow into the surrounding soil. Be careful not to knock too much soil from the rootball.
Backfill with a mix of existing soil and 1/2 soil amendment thoroughly mixed. In sandy porous soils, us sphagnum (Canadian) peat moss. In dene clay or poorly drained soils, use soil conditioner (finely ground pine bark).
Water thoroughly. Then only water when the soil is dry to the touch about 1 1/2 inches or knuckle deep. Check regularly and only water when necessary.
To give your new plant a head start, use a very mild solution of water soluble root-stimulating fertilizer which is high in phosphorous and potassium.
Plant Growth:

Hydrangeas can grow in a wide range of conditions.  Protect them from cold drying winds.


Blooming:

Flowers bloom in the spring, often pink or blue, in clusters called flowerheads. A flowerhead contains small fertile flowers surrounded by 4-petalled sterile florets.


Soil and Irrigation:

Hydrangea plants prefer ample moisture, with the pH depending on the cultivar. Species can become chlorotic if grown in alkaline soil.


Fertilization:

Feed twice a year, once at the beginning of spring and once at the beginning of summer.


Pruning:

Most Hydrangea macrophyllas (excluding the Reblooming/Remontant varieties) produce flowers on the previous season's growth.  Prune off last season's blooms to just above the first pair of buds.  Once the plant is established and has reached a suitable size, cut back ¼ of the oldest shoots with blooms on them.  This will promote replacement growth, but will maintain the size of the plant.


Prune annually in early to midspring.


Pests:

Aphids and slugs can be a potential problem for Hydrangeas. Other issues include powdery mildew, ringspot virus, leaf spots, gray mold, and rust, all of which are quite common.